What to see in Ankara, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Kocatepe Mosque, Atakule, Citadel and Ethnographic Museum.
Tourist information
Capital of Turkey, Ankara is located on a plateau in the Anatolia region, near the confluence of the Ankara river with the Çubuk.
The city presents itself with a pleasant mix of Roman, Ottoman, Byzantine and modern architecture, also there are well-kept green spaces, including the botanical garden.
In Ankara there are the Kocatepe Mosque, which is the largest in Turkey, the Yeni Mosque, very particular as it is built entirely of stone, and the Aladdin Mosque, located inside the citadel.
Atakule, the tallest building in the city, is characterized by a rotating glass tower, from the top of which you can enjoy an excellent panoramic view.
The Citadel, which constitutes the oldest part of Ankara, lies on the hill, with foundations dating back to the times of the Galatians, while the subsequent additions date back to the Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk period.
The neighborhood dominates the old city, located in the lower part of the city.
What see
Anitkabir is the Mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk, a magnificent construction which is one of the main attractions of the city.
In the adjacent museum there is a wax statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, together with his writings, personal items and other testimonies.
The Ethnographic Museum houses fascinating collections of objects used in everyday life, which belonged to the ancient houses and mosques of the Ottoman and Selgiuchida period.
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, located south-west of the citadel, inside two buildings erected between 1464 and 1471 under the reign of Muhammad II and intended for a covered bazaar and caravanserai, exhibits a prestigious collection of artifacts belonging to the various civilizations that have followed in Asia Minor.
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In the Ulus district there are the remains of the Roman Baths, built between 212 and 217, at the behest of the emperor Caracalla, in honor of Aesculapius, the god of Medicine.
The Temple of Augustus, located in the Ulus district, was erected after the annexation of Galatia, built in Asia Minor by Cesare Ottaviano Augusto in 25 BC.
At his death, the res gestae Divi Augusti were carved on the marble of the temple, in Latin and Greek.
The epigraph is the copy of the original document, which has disappeared for two centuries, which by Augustus's will was engraved on the two bronze pillars located at the entrance of the mausoleum dedicated to him present in Rome.
