Location Ankara Type Public Number of graves 220,000 | Country Turkey No. of graves 220,000 | |
Address Gültepe Mahallesi, Plevne Cad., 06080 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey Burials Uğur Mumcu, Hasan Âli Yücel, Makbule Atadan Similar Karşıyaka Mezarlığı, Mezarliklar Mudurlugu, Ankara Garı, Mamak Belediyesi | ||
The Cebeci Asri Cemetery (Turkish: Cebeci Asri Mezarlığı) is a cemetery located in the Cebeci quarter of central Ankara, Turkey serving multiple religions. It was the first modern burial place in the capital city, and is the final resting place of many prominent figures.
Contents
As of 2005, the total number of graves in the Cebeci Asri Cemetery was 220,000, with 121,000 for males and 99,000 for females. The burial rate was two per day. Administered by the municipality, it is the second largest cemetery in Ankara after Karşıyaka Cemetery.
Locating graves
In 2000, the Metropolitan Municipality of Ankara completed an information system (MEBİS) allowing visitors to search and locate a given person's grave within the three main cemeteries of Ankara. Computer terminals in interactive kiosks placed at the entrance of the cemetery enable visitors to quickly find the location of their relatives' graves. The system also shows the shortest path to graves on a cemetery plan.
Improper burials
Most graves in the cemetery have an east-west alignment, as Muslims are buried facing southeast towards Mecca in accordance with Islamic law. Members of other religious groups, such as Jews and Christians, are buried in Cebeci Asri Cemetery with a north-south orientation.
Someone discovered that about ten thousand Muslims are buried with the incorrect north-south alignment. The director of cemeteries in Ankara announced that the mistake was made fifteen years ago, and could no longer be corrected. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, the country's highest Islamic institution, supported this determination. It ruled that correction of the orientation of the graves would be disrespectful to the dead, and therefore unnecessary.
Notables in the cemetery
Listed in alphabetical order of family names.