Atatürk Lodge

The Atatürk Forest Lodge stands on the wooded heights southwest of Bozüyük, inside Erikli Nature Park. The lodge, at a place called Gülalan, is about 10 kilometres from the village of Muratdere.

History

The lodge was built by Colonel Çolak İbrahim Bey, the same man who owned the mansion in town that now houses the City Museum. Atatürk was hosted here on 10 June 1930 during his visit to Bozüyük, and the building takes its name from that stay.

The two-storey building, white-fronted and red-tiled, draws the eye with its arched balcony and its solitary presence among the trees. Seen together with the family's mansion in town, the two buildings form a pair of examples of the architectural taste that came to Bozüyük in the early Republican years.

Erikli Nature Park

The lodge lies within Erikli Nature Park, managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The park has picnic and camping grounds, barbecue areas, a playground, toilets and a prayer room. The viewing terrace among the pine and fir forest offers the finest outlook in the area.

Getting there

Access is via the villages of Ormangüzle or Erikli. Beyond Erikli the road becomes unsurfaced; in summer an ordinary car can manage it, but in winter snow and mud make it difficult. A high-clearance vehicle is more comfortable in any season.

Mobile coverage may be poor in the area and there may be no drinking water in the park, so it is worth taking some with you. A fee is sometimes charged at the entrance to the nature park.

Road conditions and entry arrangements vary with the season; we suggest checking before you set out.