The piece of land the Great Leader Ataturk and 18 friends of him set their feet in Samsun to light the first torch of the War of Independence on 19 May 1919 has achieved the prestige it deserves. The road extending from the Tutun Port, on which Ataturk and his18 friends set their feet, to the Mıntıka Palas hotel was made into the "Kurtuluş Road" by the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality and was put into the service of our people on 19 May 2009 The Protokol Road; which was built by way of reconstructing the Tutun Port, where Ataturk went ashore, and building a symbolic Bandirma Steamer, as well; is 45 meters in width and 400 meters in length. There are decorative pools representative of Ataturk and his 18 friends along the road and ceramic reliefs on the left side.