Ankara, Turkey’s cosmopolitan capital, sits in the country’s central Anatolia region. It’s a center for the performing arts, home to the State Opera and Ballet, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, and several national theater companies.
If one of your prime travel goals is to discover the vast breadth of Turkey's history, Ankara is a great place to visit.
Here are the Top 10 Places to Visit in Ankara, which are worth visiting on an Ankara trip:
1. Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
This museum is reason enough to include Ankara on your Turkey itinerary. It's the only place in the country where you can grasp the full scope of Anatolia's pre-Classical-era human history. The most important finds from the Neolithic village site of Çatalhöyük, near Konya, including the wall painting thought by some archaeologists to be the world's first town map and the famed fertility goddess statue, are displayed here in the first hall.
2. Anitkabir
Ankara's most visited attraction is also Turkey's most important modern pilgrimage site. Sitting on a hilltop, just to the west of the city center, is the mausoleum of Atatürk (Mustafa Kemal), the founder of the state of Turkey.
As well as the actual mausoleum, with its lavish use of marble, the site, centered around a vast plaza, contains a large museum complex. It contains both exhibits on the War of Independence, led by Atatürk, which resulted in the birth of Turkey as a modern nation, and displays focused on Atatürk's life.
3. Ulus' Roman Remnants
Ankara is often thought of as a modern city – the nation's planned new capital after the modern state of Turkey was formed. There has been a settlement on this spot, though, since the Bronze Age. In the Roman period, this settlement gained prominence when it became known as Ankyra, and Emperor Augustus made it the capital of the Roman province of Galatia.
4. Kocatepe Mosque
The Kocatepe Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world. It is also the largest mosque in Ankara that can be seen from almost anywhere in the central city. Standing 288 ft tall, the four minarets of the mosque and its gorgeous gold-plated dome are mesmerizing views. Like several other attractions in Ankara, you have to climb a hill to reach the mosque which is located near the city’s famous plaza, Kizilay Square. Primarily renowned for depicting the frontiers of modern Islamic architecture, the mosque can accommodate 24,000 worshippers and is lavishly built for a spiritual experience.
5. Haci Bayram Mosque
The Haci Bayram Mosque is one of the most historically significant mosques in Ankara and Turkey. An iconic religious center based on the 17th-century and 18th-century mosque architectural styles, it is home to the mausoleum of Turkish poet and Sufi Haci Bayram Veli, whose name it takes. The site also includes a Roman Temple of Augustus where the walls depict how it looked during Roman times. The mosque only has one cylindrical minaret with two balconies on its southeast side. Around the site, you can find cafes, restaurants, and religious bookstores.
6. Melike Hatun Cami
Believed to be the newest mosque in Ankara, the Melike Hatun Mosque is largely popular among the locals for its exhibition halls and modern features. Built on 19,500 square meters, the mosque can house around 7,000 people at a time and displays a unique style combining Ottoman, Seljuk, and modern architecture.
Within the mosque complex, you can also find a congress center, civilizations museum, meeting halls, and a five-story parking garage. The four-minaret mosque was completed in 2017 and is located in the old quarter of the capital's central Ulus neighborhood. Each minaret of the mosque has three balconies and there are inscriptions made of gold leaf on the entrance doors.
7. Atakule
Established back in the year 1989, Atakule happens to be a 410-feet high observation tower. With its name derived from two independent terms, ‘Ata’ meaning ancestor and ‘Kule’ meaning tower, Atakule was founded by the country’s first president Ataturk. Situated in Cankaya, this lofty iconic structure offers its visitors a spellbinding panoramic view of the whole city from its open terrace.
8. Ankara Castle
Established nearly about a hundred years ago, the Ankara castle stands atop the Ulus district. Standing in this age-old castle, you can catch a 360-degree view of the entire city of Ankara. The Ankara Castle happens to be a huge structure with four large walls and forty-two pentagonal pillars. Multiple renovations done by various empires over many years have incorporated a unique blended appearance in the monument, reflecting Roman, Ottoman, Seljuk, and Byzantine architectural styles.
9. Eymir Lake
Located at an approximate distance of around 20 kilometers from the Ankara city center, Eymir Lake is a paradise for nature lovers. Offering a quiet and calm natural environment, this beautiful place attracts people who want an escape from the traffic, noise, tension, and chaos of everyday city life.
Eymir Lake is sheltered inside a park, which is visited by people for a number of exciting activities such as jogging, cycling, and walking. There are many picnic areas along this serene lake, which are visited by families for a peaceful lunch. There is also a nice restaurant near the lake, which arranges bonfires during the winters and sets up tables to enjoy lakeside dining in the summers.
10. Hamamonu Restored Area
As its name suggests, the Hamamonu Restored Area is a well-restored, properly maintained, and calm area of Ankara. Known as one of the most historical places in the city, this area is famous as a hang-out destination in the present day.
Flaunting beautifully designed houses and bustling shops, this amazing destination invites travelers to take a stroll in its lanes and get a sneak peek of the tradition of Ankara and the lifestyle of its residents. The Hamamonu Restored Area is also known to be the best place for relishing authentic Turkish cuisine.
Besides this, there is much more to explore in Ankara!!!
