This monument honors Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Turkey . Ataturk is the national hero of Turkey, who founded the modern Turkish Republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. As this empire was seen as the sick man of Europe at the turn of the century, Ataturk's modern perspective created a new nation and state, and the concept of a secular state was different from most other Islamic states. The idea to build Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Monument in Samsun was proposed by Samsun Governor Kazim Pasha. The height of the bronze statue is 475 meters, the height of the stone block base is 410 meters , and the height of the entire monument is 8,85 meters. The statue also cost $ 37,000 , and sculptor Heinrich Karbel was paid $5,500. This monument is visited by many locals and tourists, due to its distinctive and unique design, in addition to its symbolic and historical feature for the Turkish people.