![One of Ankara's biggest attractions is back... Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570147.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
One of Ankara’s biggest attractions is back… Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Atakule reopened on the 95th anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570153.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Atakule reopened on the 95th anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Atakule was built in 1989 and stands at 125m high! Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570150.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Atakule was built in 1989 and stands at 125m high! Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![The first grand opening was 13th of October 1989, by President Turgut Özal 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570152.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
The first grand opening was 13th of October 1989, by President Turgut Özal 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Atakule was the first big modern shopping centre in Ankara and the second in Turkey after Istanbul's Galleria was opened. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570146.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Atakule was the first big modern shopping centre in Ankara and the second in Turkey after Istanbul’s Galleria was opened. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![The people of Ankara enjoyed a firework display in celebration of the centre's grand reopening. Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570149.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
The people of Ankara enjoyed a firework display in celebration of the centre’s grand reopening. Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![The first customers come in to explore the new and improved Atakule shopping mall. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570156.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
The first customers come in to explore the new and improved Atakule shopping mall. 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Atakule has a big terrace at the top, complete with a revolving restaurant and a cafe called 'UFO'! Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570154-scaled.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Atakule has a big terrace at the top, complete with a revolving restaurant and a cafe called ‘UFO’! Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
!['Kule' means tower, and 'Ata' is short for 'Ataturk' -so the tower is named after the man himself! 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570151.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Fun fact: ‘Kule’ means tower, and ‘Ata’ is short for ‘Ataturk’ -so the tower is named after the man himself! 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Hundreds turn out for the grand reopening of Atakule shopping mall! 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570157.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Hundreds turn out for the grand reopening of Atakule shopping mall! 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![A big band turned out to celebrate the reopening 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570159.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
A big band came along to provide music for the celebration 29 October 2018, Ankara [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
![Fireworks explode around the brightly lit tower on top of Atakule Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-10-29-turkey-fireworks20181029_2_33158677_38570148.jpg?ssl=1 "Fireworks illuminate the sky during opening of Atakule")
Fireworks explode around the brightly lit tower on top of Atakule Ankara, 29 October 2018 [Tuğba Keskin/Anadolu Agency]
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