Atatürk and Cadet Monument, Ankara

Atatürk and the Cadet Monument is 24 meters high and 6 meters wide and contains 1000 human figures. Starting from the root of a large plane tree, 3 meters high, which symbolizes the past and strength, there is a 4 meters high Atatürk Statue at the front of the monument, a group of officers of various ranks behind it, and the growing number of Young War Students behind it.

The Monument, which was built on the front of the Turkish Military Academy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Atatürk's birth, can be easily seen from all sides of the school. The monument is worthy of the historical identity of the Military Academy and is important in that it symbolizes the great commanders raised by the Harbiye along with the Great Leader Atatürk, symbolizes the love for Atatürk that grows as it grows, and shows that the cadets and our army are united around Atatürk.

Ataturk and Cadet Monument

The monument, the construction of which was decided in 1981, is the largest and most magnificent monument of the period.

Projects from various artists were taken for the monument, and the work of the artist Tankut Öktem* was appreciated and the approval of the president of the period was obtained.

The monument was completed in 1986 with the contributions of the Sabancı Foundation.

"I rebelled against the understanding of sculpture that made Atatürk static. Instead of deifying him alone, I tried to construct compositions that describe his reforms and progressive thoughts and strengthen with his people. I have the belief that new generations should definitely see them." prof. Tankut ÖKTEM

Atatürk and the Cadet Monument on stamps in 1999

*Prof. Dr. Tankut Oktem

He was born in 1940 in Konya. He was selected as an assistant in 1966 to the Ceramics Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Applied Fine Arts (IDTGSYO), which he graduated from in 1965. Öktem became a faculty member at the same school in 1970.

He was the Head of the Ceramics Department between 1974-1975 and the Director of İDTGSYO between 1980-1982. Öktem founded the Department of Sculpture between 1983-1985 after Applied Fine Arts was established at Marmara University and became its first president.

Tankut Öktem, who has been teaching as a professor since 1986, was the Head of the Ceramics-Glass Department of Marmara University between 1993-1996, the Faculty Senator until 1999 and the Marmara University Representative of the Higher Education National Committee for Art. Having many works and awards, Prof. Öktem was selected as a "State Artist" in 1999.

Tankut Öktem, the owner of works accepted as Turkish Art Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, won many national and international competitions. With the 60-meter-high Manisa Kuva-i Milliye Monument, it signed the third largest monument in the world.

The artist, who has more than 20 works abroad and hundreds of works in Turkey, passed away suddenly on December 5, 2007.

Ataturk and Cadet Monument Images