In the center of the square stands the National Ascension Monument, a statue made entirely of bronze depicting a horse-riding Kemal Ataturk flanked by two young figures, one male and one female, allegories of Youth and Trust. These two concepts define the history of the modern Turkish state, and at the base of the statue important dates in the nation’s historical journey since 1919 are engraved. The inaugural ceremony of the monument, designed by the sculptor Hüseyin Gezer, took place in 1964. This monument to Kemal Ataturk, considered the father of modern Turkey, was created thanks to donations.