Turkey remembers Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on his death anniversary

Thousands flocked to the mausoleum of the Turkish Republic's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in Ankara to commemorate the leader who passed away 77 years ago on Nov. 10.    

An?tkabir will be open to visit until 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 in an event that sees tens of thousands of people gather every year. 

The facility has been decorated with a placard by the army, reading that the nation will remember Atatürk longingly.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, Parliament Speaker ?smet Y?lmaz, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli attended the commemoration ceremony at the mausoleum, known as An?tkabir.      

Erdo?an signed the official An?tkabir memorial book at the Misak-? Milli (National Pact) Tower. 

"We are continuing to work tirelessly towards the goal you set of 'reaching and going beyond the level of contemporary civilization.' Despite internal and external enemies, we will have fulfilled your will by reaching the targets we have set for 2023, which is the centenary of our Republic," he wrote in the notebook.  

Davuto?lu wrote on his Twitter account; "I commemorate the great statesman and the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with respect and gratitude on [the anniversary] of the day we bid him farewell."

The commemoration ceremonies are taking place across the country, but the center of attraction is the grand mausoleum complex that also houses a museum.

Daily life stopped for two minutes, beginning at 9:05 a.m., the time of Atatürk's death. Sirens wailed throughout Turkey and people observed two minutes of silence, regardless of...