Ankara
View of Atakule Tower and Ankara's city center
Ankara Location of Ankara
Coordinates: 39°52′N 32°52′E / 39.867, 32.867
Country	Turkey
Region	Central Anatolia
Province	Ankara
Government
- Mayor	İbrahim Melih Gökçek (AKP)
- Governor	Kemal Önal
Area
- Total	2,516. Atakule, is a 125m high communications and observation tower located in the Çankaya district of central Ankara, Turkey and is the primary landmark Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The provinces of Turkey are organized into 7 census-defined regions ( bölge) which were originally defined at the First Geography Congress in 1941 Turkey is divided into 81 provinces called iller in Turkish (singular is il, see Turkish alphabet for capitalization of i İbrahim Melih Gökçek (born on October 20, 1948, in Keçiören, Ankara, Turkey) is a Turkish politician and a former The Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi or AK Parti, or AKP) is the incumbent Turkish Political party, which describes Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 00 km² (971. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 4 sq mi)
Elevation	850 m (2,789 ft)
Population (2007)[1]
- Total	3,901,201, of which 3,763,591 urban
- Density	1,551. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 00/km² (4,017. 1/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	06x xx
Area code(s)	0312
Licence plate	06
Website: http://www.ankara.bel.tr/

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Daylight saving time ( DST Eastern European Summer Time ( EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 Time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+3 is used in the following locations Moscow Time Eastern European Summer Time West Asian Summer Time A postal code (known in various countries as a post code, postcode, or ZIP code) is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Turkish car number plates are License plates found on Turkish vehicles Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches This is a list of the largest and second largest cities by population in each Country. This is a list of cities in Turkey by population Included are cities that are provincial capitals or have a population of at least 7000 Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey The city has a mean elevation of 850 m (2800 ft), and as of 2007 the city had a population of 3,901,201, which includes eight districts under the city's administration. Ankara also serves as the capital of the Province of Ankara, whose population stood at 4,466,756 in 2007. Ankara Province (Ankara ili in central Turkey is the location of the country's capital the city of Ankara.

As with many ancient cities, Ankara has gone by several names over the ages: The Hittites gave it the name Ankuwash before 1200 BC. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established ^[2][3] The Galatians and Romans called it Ancyra. Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial In the classical, Hellenistic, and Byzantine periods it was known as Ἄγκυρα Ánkyra. This article focuses on the historical aspects of the Hellenistic age for the cultural aspects see Hellenistic civilisation. It was also known as Angora after it fell to the Seljuks in 1073, and was so known up until 1930. The Great Seljuq Empire was a Medieval Sunni Muslim empire established by the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks that once controlled ^[4]

Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the center of Turkey's highway and railway networks, and serves as the marketing center for the surrounding agricultural area. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), white rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region's muscat grapes. The Angora goat (Ankara keçisi is a Goat from the Angora region in Anatolia, near present-day Ankara, Turkey. Mohair usually refers to a Silk -like fabric or Yarn made from the Hair of the Angora goat. The Turkish Angora (Ankara Kedisi is a breed of domestic Cat. The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic Rabbit bred for its long soft hair Angora wool or Angora fiber refers to the downy coat produced by the Angora rabbit. A pear is a pomaceous Fruit produced by a tree of Genus Pyrus. Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the The muscat family of Grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for Wine, Raisins and Table grapes Their color For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is

Ankara is situated upon a steep and rocky hill, which rises 150 m above the plain on the left bank of the Enguri Su, a tributary of the Sakarya (Sangarius) river. The Sakarya ( Greek Σαγγάριος, Latinized as Sangarius) is a River in Asia Minor. The city is located at 39°52'30" North, 32°52' East (39.875° N 32.8333° E), about 351 kilometres (218 mi) to the southeast of Istanbul, the country's largest city. Ankara is one of the driest places in Turkey and is surrounded by a barren steppe vegetation, with various Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman archaeological sites. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either Prehistoric or historic or contemporary and It has a harsh, dry continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year Rainfall occurs mostly during the spring and autumn.

The hill which overlooks the city is crowned by the ruins of the old castle, which adds to the picturesqueness of the view, but only a few historic structures surrounding the old citadel have survived to our date. There are, however, many finely preserved remains of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine architecture, the most remarkable being the Temple of Augustus and Rome (20 BC) which is also known as the Monumentum Ancyranum. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was The name Monumentum Ancyranum refers to the Temple of Augustus and Rome in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey) or to the inscription Res ^[1]

History

Main article: History of Ankara

Hittite artifacts on display at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

The region's vibrant history can be traced back to the Bronze Age Hatti civilization, which was succeeded in the 2nd millennium BC by the Hittites, in the 10th century BC by the Phrygians, and later by the Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, and Turks (Seljuk Empire then Ottoman Empire and then Turkey). The history of Ankara can be traced back to the Bronze Age Hatti civilization which was succeeded in the 2nd millennium BC by the Hittites, The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi is located on the south side of Ankara Castle in the Atpazarı area in Ankara, Turkey The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for The Hattians were an ancient people who inhabited the land of Hatti in present-day central and southeastern parts of Anatolia, Turkey. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established In antiquity Phrygia (Φρυγία was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Great Seljuq Empire was a Medieval Sunni Muslim empire established by the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks that once controlled The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches

The oldest settlements in and around the city center of Ankara belong to the Hatti civilization which lived during the Bronze Age. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Artifacts discovered in the city have revealed that the Hittites called Ankara with the name Ankuwash prior to 1200 BC. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established ^[2][3] The city significantly grew in size and importance under the Phrygians starting from around 1000 BC, experiencing a large expansion following the mass migration from Gordion, the capital of Phrygia, after an earthquake which severely damaged that city in antiquity. Gordium (Greek Gordion, Turkish Gordiyon) was the capital of ancient Phrygia. In antiquity Phrygia (Φρυγία was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. In Phrygian tradition, King Midas was venerated as the founder of Ancyra, but Pausanias mentions that the city was actually far older, in line with the present-day knowledge that we have on its history. In Greek mythology, Midas or King Midas (in Greek Μίδας is popularly remembered for his ability to turn everything he touched into Gold Pausanias ( Greek:) was a Greek traveller and Geographer of the 2nd century CE, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus ^[5]

Phrygian rule was succeeded first by Lydian and later by Persian rule, though the strongly Phrygian character of the peasantry remained, as evidenced by the gravestones of the much later Roman period. Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Persian sovereignty lasted until the Persians' defeat at the hands of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great who conquered the city in 333 BC. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Alexander came from Gordion to Ankara and stayed in the city for a short period. Gordium (Greek Gordion, Turkish Gordiyon) was the capital of ancient Phrygia. After his death at Babylon in 323 BC and the subsequent division of his empire amongst his generals, Ankara and its environs fell into the share of Antigonus. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Antigonus I Monophthalmus ("the One-eyed" (382 BC - 301 BC son of Philip from Elimeia, was a Macedonian nobleman general and Satrap Apart from the Phrygian period in which the city experienced its largest expansion in the ancient times, another important expansion took place under the Greeks of Pontos who came there and developed the city as a trading center for the commerce of goods between the Black Sea ports and Crimea to the north; Assyria, Cyprus, and Lebanon to the south; and Georgia, Armenia and Persia to the east. Geography The Black Sea region loosely called Pontus by various scholars has a steep rocky coast with rivers that cascade through the gorges of the coastal ranges By that time the city also took its name Áγκυρα - Ànkyra (meaning anchor in Greek) which is still used by the Turks with the slightly modified form of Ankara. An anchor is an object often made out of metal that is used to attach a ship to the bottom of a body of water at a specific point Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

The Dying Gaul was a famous statue commissioned in some time between 230 BC and 220 BC by King Attalos I of Pergamon to honor his victory over the Celtic Galatians in Anatolia. The Dying Gaul (in Italian: Galata Morente) is an ancient Roman Marble copy of a lost Hellenistic sculpture that Attalus I ( surnamed Soter ( "Savior" 269 BC &ndash 197 BC ruled Pergamon, a Greek Polis in what is now Turkey Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Roman marble copy of a Hellenistic work of the late third century BCE. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Capitoline Museums, Rome. The Capitoline Museums ( Italian Musei Capitolini) are a group of art and archeological Museums in Piazza del Campidoglio Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2

In 278 BC, the city, along with the rest of central Anatolia, was occupied by the Celtic race of Galatians, who were the first to make Ankara one of their main tribal centres, the headquarters of the Tectosages tribe. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. The Volcae were a Celtic tribal confederation constituted sometime before the Gallic raid of combined Gauls that invaded Macedon in the 270s and defeated the assembled Other centres were Pessinos, today's Balhisar, for the Trocmi tribe; and Tavium, to the east of Ankara, for the Tolstibogii tribe. The Trocmii or Trocmi were one of the three ancient Celtic tribes of Galatia in central Asia Minor, together with the Tolistobogii The city was then known as Ancyra. The Celtic element was probably relatively small in numbers; a warrior aristocracy which ruled over Phrygian-speaking peasants. However, the Celtic language continued to be spoken in Galatia for many centuries. At the end of the 4th century AD, St. Jerome, a native of Galatia, observed that the language spoken around Ankara was very similar to that being spoken in the northwest of the Roman world near Trier. Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος Trier (Trèves Luxembourgish: Tréier; Augusta Treverorum is a City in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River.

Ancyra was the capital of the Celtic kingdom of Galatia, and later of the Roman province with the same name, after its conquest by Augustus in 25 BC

The city was subsequently conquered by Augustus in 25 BC and passed under the control of the Roman Empire. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Now the capital city of the Roman province of Galatia, Ancyra continued to be a center of great commercial importance. Ankara is also famous for the Monumentum Ancyranum (Temple of Augustus and Rome) which contains the official record of the Acts of Augustus, known as the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, an inscription cut in marble on the walls of this temple. The name Monumentum Ancyranum refers to the Temple of Augustus and Rome in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey) or to the inscription Res Res Gestae Divi Augusti, ( Latin: "The Deeds of the Divine Augustus" is the funerary inscription of the first Roman emperor, Augustus The ruins of Ancyra still furnish today valuable bas-reliefs, inscriptions and other architectural fragments. A bas-relief (baʁəljɛf in French; French for "low relief" derived from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a Sculpture

Augustus decided to make Ancyra one of three main administrative centres in central Anatolia. The town was then populated by Phrygians and Celts—the Galatians who spoke a language closely related to Welsh and Gaelic. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic The Goidelic languages, (also sometimes called particularly in colloquial situations the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) historically formed a Dialect Ancyra was the center of a tribe known as the Tectosages, and Augustus upgraded it into a major provincial capital for his empire. Two other Galatian tribal centres, Tavium near Yozgat, and Pessinus (Balhisar) to the west, near Sivrihisar, continued to be reasonably important settlements in the Roman period, but it was Ancyra that grew into a grand metropolis. Tavium, or Tavia, was the chief city of the Galatian tribe of Trocmi, one of the three Celtic tribes which migrated from the Danube Yozgat (also Yuzgat or Yuzgad, Armenian: Յոզգաթ formerly Bozok, is a city and the capital district of Yozgat province thumb|Pessinus Area Sivrihisar Eskişehir Turkey Pessinus was the city in Anatolia, the Asian part of Turkey on the upper course of the river Sakarya

An estimated 200,000 people lived in Ancyra in good times during the Roman Empire, a far greater number than was to be the case after the fall of the Roman Empire until the early twentieth century. A small river, the Ankara Çayı, ran through the centre of the Roman town. Ankara River, (Ankara Çayı is a small river that runs through the city of Ankara, Turkey. It has now been covered over and diverted, but it formed the northern boundary of the old town during the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Çankaya, the rim of the majestic hill to the south of the present city center, stood well outside the Roman city, but may have been a summer resort. In the 19th century, the remains of at least one Roman villa or large house were still standing not far from where the Çankaya Presidential Residence stands today. To the west, the Roman city extended until the area of the Gençlik Park and Railway Station, while on the southern side of the hill, it may have extended downwards as far as the site presently occupied by Hacettepe University. Hacettepe University is a University in Ankara, Turkey. The University has two main campuses It was thus a sizeable city by any standards and much larger than the Roman towns of Gaul or Britannia. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Britannia was the term originally used by the Romans to refer first to the British Isles, and later to the island of Great Britain.

Ancyra's importance rested on the fact was that it was the junction point where the roads in northern Anatolia running north-south and east-west intersected. The great imperial road running east passed through Ankara and a succession of emperors and their armies came this way. They were not the only ones to use the Roman highway network, which was equally convenient for invaders. In the second half of the 3rd century, Ancyra was invaded in rapid succession by the Goths coming from the west (who rode far into the heart of Cappadocia, taking slaves and pillaging) and later by the Arabs. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s Cappadocia (or Capadocia, Turkish Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία / Kappadokía which in turn is from the Persian: The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding For about a decade, the town was one of the western outposts of one of the most brilliant queens of the ancient world, the Arab empress Zenobia from Palmyra in the Syrian desert, who took advantage of a period of weakness and disorder in the Roman Empire to set up a short-lived state of her own. Zenobia (زنوبيا 240-after 274 was a Syrian queen who lived in the 3rd century Palmyra ( Arabic: تدمر Tadmor) was in ancient times an important city of central Syria, located in an Oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus

In the Temple of Augustus and Rome (commonly known as Monumentum Ancyranum) in Ulus, the primary intact copy of Res Gestae written by the first Roman Emperor Augustus survives

The town was reincorporated into the Roman Empire under the Emperor Aurelian in 272. The name Monumentum Ancyranum refers to the Temple of Augustus and Rome in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey) or to the inscription Res Res Gestae Divi Augusti, ( Latin: "The Deeds of the Divine Augustus" is the funerary inscription of the first Roman emperor, Augustus Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Lucius Domitius Aurelianus ( September 9, 214 or 215 &ndashSeptember or October 275 known in English as Aurelian, Roman Emperor (270&ndash275 The tetrarchy, a system of multiple (up to four) emperors introduced by Diocletian (284-305), seems to have engaged in a substantial programme of rebuilding and of road construction from Ankara westwards to Germe and Dorylaeum (now Eskişehir). Tetrarchy ( Greek: "leadership of four " can be applied to any system of government where power is divided between four individuals Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate Dorylaeum was an ancient city in Anatolia. It is now in ruins near the city of Eskişehir, Turkey. Eskişehir ( eskē'shehēr, Eskişehir "Old City" Latin: Dorylaeum; Greek: Δορύλαιον Dorylaion) is a city

In its heyday, Roman Ankara was a large market and trading center but it also functioned as a major administrative capital, where a high official ruled from the city's Praetorium, a large administrative palace or office. During the 3rd century, life in Ancyra, as in other Anatolian towns, seems to have become somewhat militarised in response to the invasions and instability of the town. In this period, like other cities of central Anatolia, Ankara was also undergoing Christianisation.

Early martyrs, about whom little is known, included Proklos and Hilarios who were natives of the otherwise unknown village of Kallippi, near Ancyra, and suffered repression under the emperor Trajan (98-117). Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after İstanbul. Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who In the 280s AD we hear of Philumenos, a Christian corn merchant from southern Anatolia, being captured and martyred in Ankara, and Eustathius.

Like in other Roman towns, the reign of Diocletian marked the culmination point of repression against Christians. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate In 303, Ancyra was one of the towns where the co-Emperors Diocletian and his deputy Galerius launched their anti-Christian persecution. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate Galerius Maximianus ( ca. 260&ndashlate April or early May 311 formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311 In Ancyra, their first target was the 38-year-old Bishop of the town, whose name was Clement. Clement's life describes how he was taken to Rome, then sent back, and forced to undergo many interrogations and hardship before he, and his brother, and various companions were put to death. The remains of the church of St. Clement can be found today in a building just off Işıklar Caddesi in the Ulus district. Quite possibly this marks the site where Clement was originally buried. Four years later, a doctor of the town named Plato and his brother Antiochus also became celebrated martyrs under Galerius. Galerius Maximianus ( ca. 260&ndashlate April or early May 311 formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311 Theodotus of Ancyra is also venerated as a saint. The name Theodotus of Ancyra may refer to either of two early Christians one a fifth-century Bishop of Ancyra (modern Ankara) and one a fourth-century

The Column of Julianus, now in the Ulus district, was erected in honor of the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate's visit to Ancyra in 362

However, the persecution proved unsuccessful and in 314 Ancyra was the center of an important council of the early church; which considered ecclesiastical policy for the reconstruction of the Christian church after the persecutions, and in particular the treatment of 'lapsi'—Christians who had given in and conformed to paganism during these persecutions. Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar Three councils were held in the former capital of Galatia in Asia Minor, during the 4th century. The first, an orthodox plenary synod, was held in 314, and its 25 disciplinary canons constitute one of the most important documents in the early history of the administration of the Sacrament of Penance. Nine of them deal with conditions for the reconciliation of the lapsi; the others, with marriage, alienations of church property, etc.

Though paganism was probably tottering in Ancyra in Clement's day, it may still have been the majority religion. Twenty years later, Christianity and monotheism had taken its place. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] Ancyra quickly turned into a Christian city, with a life dominated by monks and priests and theological disputes. The town council or senate gave way to the bishop as the main local figurehead. During the middle of the 4th century, Ancyra was involved in the complex theological disputes over the nature of Christ, and a form of Arianism seems to have originated there. Arianism is the theological teaching of Arius (c AD 250-336 who was ruled a heretic by the Christian church at the Council of Nicea.

The synod of 358 was a Semi-Arian conciliabulum, presided over by Basil of Ancyra. Conciliabulum (English synonyms conciliable conciliabule is a Latin word meaning a place of assembly Basil of Ancyra, was a priest in Ancyra, Galatia during the fourth century It condemned the grosser Arian blasphemies, but set forth an equally heretical doctrine in the proposition that the Son was in all things similar to the Father, but not identical in substance.

Aerial view of the current Turkish Parliament building, designed in 1938 by the renowned Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister

In 362-363, the Emperor Julian the Apostate passed through Ancyra on his way to an ill-fated campaign against the Persians, and according to Christian sources, engaged in a persecution of various holy men. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi - TBMM, usually referred to simply as Meclis - "the Parliament" is the Unicameral Clemens Holzmeister ( March 27, 1886 – June 12, 1983) was a prominent Austrian architect and stage designer of the early twentieth Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar The stone base for a statue, with an inscription describing Julian as "Lord of the whole world from the British Ocean to the barbarian nations", can still be seen, built into the eastern side of the inner circuit of the walls of Ankara Castle. The Column of Julian which was erected in honor of the emperor's visit to the city in 362 still stands today. In 375, Arian bishops met at Ancyra and deposed several bishops, among them St. Gregory of Nyssa. Gregory of Nyssa ( Greek: Άγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης Latin: Gregorius Nyssenus; Arabic: غريغوريوس النيصي The modern Ankara, also known in some Western texts as Angora, remains a Roman Catholic titular see in the former Roman province of Galatia in Asia Minor, suffragan of Laodicea. A titular see in the Roman Catholic Church is a Diocese or Archdiocese that now exists in title only In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin provincia, pl provinciae) was the basic and until the Tetrarchy (circa Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black A suffragan bishop is a Bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan bishop or Diocesan bishop. Laodicea (Λαοδίκεια also transliterated as Laodiceia or Laodikeia was the name for at least seven Hellenistic cities which were named for one Its episcopal list is given in Gams, "Series episc. Eccl. cath. "; also that of another Ancyra in Phrygia Pacatiana. In antiquity Phrygia (Φρυγία was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey.

In the later 4th century Ancyra became something of an imperial holiday resort. After Constantinople became the East Roman capital, emperors in the 4th and 5th centuries would retire from the humid summer weather on the Bosphorus to the drier mountain atmosphere of Ancyra. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS The Bosporus or Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait, (İstanbul Boğazı (Βόσπορος is a Strait that forms the boundary between the Theodosius II (408-450) kept his court in Ancyra in the summers. Flavius Theodosius ( 10 April, 401 – July 28, 450) called the Calligrapher, known in English as Theodosius II, was Laws issued in Ancyra testify to the time they spent there. The city's military as well as logistical significance lasted well into the long Byzantine reign. Although Ancyra fell into the hands of several Arab armies numerous times after the 6th century, it remained an important crossroads polis within the Byzantine Empire until the late 11th century.

In 1071, the Seljuk Sultan Alparslan opened the gates of Anatolia for the Turks with his victory at the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt). The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in Alp Arslan (1029 &ndash December 15, 1072) was the second sultan of the Seljuk dynasty and great-grandson of Seljuk, the Eponym of The Battle of Manzikert, or Malazgirt, was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuq forces led by Alp Arslan on August 26 1071 near Manzikert Malazgirt (also Malâzgird; Մանզիկերտ Manzikert) is a town in Muş Province in eastern Turkey, with a population of 23697 (year 2000 He then annexed Ankara, an important location for military transportation and natural resources, to his territory in 1073. Orhan I, second Bey of the Ottoman Empire, captured the city in 1356. Orhan I ( Ottoman: اورخان غازی Turkish: Orhan Gazi or Orhan Bey) (1284&ndash1359 was the second Bey, or chief of the Bey is a Turkish title for "chieftain" traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Another Turkic ruler, Timur, defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Ankara in 1402 and captured the city, but in 1403 Ankara was again under Ottoman control. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Timur also written Emir Timur or Amir Temur ( Chagatai: تیمور - Tēmōr " Iron " (1336 – 19 February 1405 among The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20 or July 28 1402 took place northeast of Ankara at the field of Çubuk

Dikmen Valley Towers

Armada Tower in the center and Halkbank Tower in the background

Following the Ottoman defeat at World War I, the Ottoman capital Istanbul and much of Anatolia were occupied by the Allies, who planned to share these lands between the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Greece, leaving the Turks only a small piece of land in central Asia Minor. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία In response, the leader of the Turkish nationalist movement, Kemal Atatürk, established the headquarters of his resistance movement in Ankara in 1920 (see Treaty of Sèvres and Turkish War of Independence). Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman The Treaty of Sèvres ( 10 August 1920) was the Peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Allies at the end of World War The Turkish War of Independence (Kurtuluş Savaşı May 19, 1919 October 29, 1923) refers to the political and military resistance developed After the War of Independence was won, the Turkish nationalists replaced the Ottoman Empire with the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A few days earlier, Ankara had replaced İstanbul (formerly Constantinople) as the new Turkish capital city, on October 13, 1923. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

After Ankara became the capital of the newly founded Republic of Turkey, new development divided the city into an old section, called Ulus, and a new section, called Yenişehir. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Ancient buildings reflecting Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history and narrow winding streets mark the old section. The new section, now centered around Kızılay, has the trappings of a more modern city: wide streets, hotels, theaters, shopping malls, and high-rises. Government offices and foreign embassies are also located in the new section.

Ankara has experienced a phenomenal growth since it was made Turkey's capital. It was "a small town of no importance"^[6] when it was made the capital of Turkey. In 1924, the year after the government had moved there, Ankara had about 35,000 residents. By 1927 there were 44,553 residents and by 1950 the population had grown to 286,781. By 2007 its population was well over five million.

Panoramic view of Ankara, with Atakule Tower seen at left

Population

Ankara has a population of 3,763,591 (2007 census) of which 1,870,831 are men and 1,892,760 are women. Atakule, is a 125m high communications and observation tower located in the Çankaya district of central Ankara, Turkey and is the primary landmark

Ankara is the capital city of the Ankara Province, which has a population of 4,466,756 (2007 census). Ankara Province (Ankara ili in central Turkey is the location of the country's capital the city of Ankara.

Attractions

Museums

Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum

A Hattian artifact, from the 3rd millennium BC, in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

• Anıtkabir

is located on an imposing hill, Anıttepe quarter of the city, where the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, stands. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi is located on the south side of Ankara Castle in the Atpazarı area in Ankara, Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman Completed in 1953, it is an impressive fusion of ancient and modern architectural styles. An adjacent museum houses a wax statue of Atatürk, his writings, letters and personal items, as well as an exhibition of photographs recording important moments in his life and during the establishment of the Republic. Anıtkabir is open every day, while the adjacent museum is open every day except Mondays.

• Ankara Ethnography Museum (Etnoğrafya Müzesi)

This museum is opposite the Opera House on Talat Paşa Boulevard, in the Ulus district. The Ethnography Museum of Ankara built by architect Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu is located on the site of a Muslim cemetery on a hill in Namazgah Ankara Turkey. There is a fine collection of folkloric as well as Seljuk- and Ottoman-era artifacts.

• Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi)

Situated at the entrance of Ankara Castle, it is an old "bedesten" (covered bazaar) that has been beautifully restored and now houses a unique collection of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman works as well as a major section dedicated to Lydian treasures. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi is located on the south side of Ankara Castle in the Atpazarı area in Ankara, Turkey The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established In antiquity Phrygia (Φρυγία was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. Urartu ( Assyrian: Urarṭu Urartian: Biainili Ուրարտու was an Iron Age kingdom in Eastern Anatolia ( Transcaucasia) rising The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy

• State Art and Sculpture Museum (Resim-Heykel Müzesi)

This museum is close to the Ethnography Museum and houses a rich collection of Turkish art from the late 19th century to the present day. The State Art and Sculpture Museum (Turkish Ankara Resim ve Heykel Müzesi) was built in 1927 by architect Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu on the direction of Atatürk There are also galleries which host guest exhibitions.

• War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi)

This building, located on Ulus Square, was originally the first Parliament building (TBMM) of the Republic of Turkey. The War of Independence was planned and directed here as recorded in various photographs and items presently on exhibition. In another display, wax figures of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey are on exhibit.

• TCDD Locomotive Museum

An open-air museum near the railway station on Celal Bayar Boulevard which traces the history of steam locomotion through the locomotives and artifacts on display.

• Turkish Air Force Aviation Museum

Museum is near the İstanbul Road, Etimesgut. The museum is home to various aircraft which are or have served in Turkish Air Force (Jets like F-86, F-100, F-102, F-104, F-5, F-4 and cargo planes like C-160 transtall). Also a Hungarian Mig-21, a Pakistani Mig-19 and a Bulgarian Mig-17 are on display in the museum.

Archeological sites

• Victory Monument (Zafer Anıtı)

Erected in 1927 on Zafer Square in the Sıhhiye quarter, it depicts Atatürk in uniform.

Ankara Citadel

The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Galatians on a prominent lava outcrop, and the rest was completed by the Romans. Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures The Byzantines and Seljuks further made restorations and additions. The area around and inside the citadel, being the oldest part of Ankara, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture. There are also recreational areas to relax. Many restored traditional Turkish houses inside the citadel area have found new life as restaurants, serving local cuisine, music and of course, Rakı.

Roman Theatre

The remains, the stage, and the backstage can be seen outside the castle. Roman statues that were found here are exhibited in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (see above). The seating area is still under excavation.

Temple of Augustus and Rome

The temple, also known as the Monumentum Ancyranum, was built between 25 BC - 20 BC following the conquest of Central Anatolia by the Roman Empire and the formation of the Roman province of Galatia, with Ancyra (modern Ankara) as its administrative capital. The name Monumentum Ancyranum refers to the Temple of Augustus and Rome in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey) or to the inscription Res The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. After the death of Augustus in 14 AD, a copy of the text of Res Gestae Divi Augusti was inscribed on the interior of the pronaos in Latin, whereas a Greek translation is also present on an exterior wall of the cella. Res Gestae Divi Augusti, ( Latin: "The Deeds of the Divine Augustus" is the funerary inscription of the first Roman emperor, Augustus The temple, on the ancient Acropolis of Ancyra, was enlarged by the Romans in the 2nd century. In the 5th century it was converted into a church by the Byzantines. It is located in the Ulus quarter of the city.

Roman Bath

This bath has all the typical features of a classical Roman bath: a frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (cool room) and caldarium (hot room). This page is on buildings used for Roman bathing For the activity in general see Ancient Roman bathing. The bath was built during the reign of Emperor Caracalla in the 3rd century AD to honour Asclepios, the God of Medicine. Caracalla ( April 4 188 &ndash April 8, 217) born Lucius Septimius Bassianus and later Asclepius (pronounced /æsˈkliːpiːəs/, Greek, transliterated Asklēpiós; Latin Aesculapius) is the god of Medicine Today, only the basement and first floors remain. It is situated in the Ulus quarter.

Column of Julian

This column, in Ulus, was erected in 362 to commemorate a visit by the Roman Emperor Julian. Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar It stands fifteen meters high and has a typical leaf decoration on the capital.

Modern monuments

Kızılay Square is the heart of Ankara

Monument to a Secure, Confident Future

This monument, located in Güven Park near Kızılay Square, was erected in 1935 and bears Atatürk's advice to his people: "Turk! Be proud, work hard, and believe in yourself. "

Hatti Monument

Built in the 1970s on Sıhhiye Square, this impressive monument symbolizes the Hatti gods and commemorates Anatolia's earliest known civilization.

Mosques

• Hacı Bayram Mosque [2]

This mosque, in the Ulus quarter next to the Temple of Augustus, was built in the early 15th century in Seljuk style by an unknown architect. The name Monumentum Ancyranum refers to the Temple of Augustus and Rome in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey) or to the inscription Res The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in It was subsequently restored by architect Sinan in the 16th century, with Kütahya tiles being added in the 18th century. Koca Mi‘mār Sinān Āġā ( Ottoman Turkish: خوجه معمار سنان آغا ( April 15, 1489 - April 09, Kütahya is a city in western Turkey with 213000 inhabitants (2007 estimate lying on the Porsuk river at 930 metres above sea level The mosque was built in honor of Hacı Bayram Veli, whose tomb is next to the mosque, two years before his death (1427-28). The usable space inside this mosque is 437 square meters on the first floor and 263 square meters on the second floor.

Parks

Göksu Park in Eryaman

Gençlik Park in central Ankara

Ankara has many parks and open spaces mainly established in the early years of the Republic and well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: Gençlik Park (houses an amusement park with a large pond for rowing), the Botanical Garden, Seğmenler Park, Anayasa Park, Kuğulu Park (famous for the swans received as a gift from the Chinese government), Abdi İpekçi Park, Güven Park (see above for the monument), Kurtuluş Park (has an ice-skating rink), Altınpark (also a prominent exposition/fair area), Harikalar Diyarı (claimed to be Biggest Park of Europe inside city borders) and Göksu Park. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Abdi İpekçi ( August 9, 1929 – February 1, 1979) was a Turkish Journalist, Intellectual and an activist for

Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo (Atatürk Orman Çiftliği) is an expansive recreational farming area which houses a zoo, several small agricultural farms, greenhouses, restaurants, a dairy farm and a brewery. Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo (Atatürk Orman Çiftliği is an expansive recreational farming area which houses a Zoo, several small agricultural farms Greenhouses A zoological garden, shortened to zoo, is an institution in which living animals are exhibited in captivity A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse or hothouse) is a building where plants are cultivated Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an Animal husbandry enterprise for long-term production of Milk, which may be either processed on-site or A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of Beer, though beer can be made in the home and has been for much of beer's history It is a pleasant place to spend a day with family, be it for having picnics, hiking, biking or simply enjoying good food and nature. There is also an exact replica of the house where Atatürk was born in 1881, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Visitors to the "Çiftlik" (farm) as it is affectionately called by Ankarans, can sample such famous products of the farm such as old-fashioned beer and ice cream, fresh dairy products and meat rolls/kebaps made on charcoal, at a traditional restaurant (Merkez Lokantası, Central Restaurant), cafés and other establishments scattered around the farm.

Shopping

Interior view of Karum Shopping & Business Center

Armada Tower and Shopping Center in Ankara won "Europe's Best Shopping Mall" award by ICSC in 2003, becoming the second mall in Turkey after Akmerkez in Istanbul (Europe's Best 1995, World's Best 1996) to win this prestigious award

Foreign visitors to Ankara usually like to visit the old shops in Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu (Weavers' Road) near Ulus, where myriad things ranging from traditional fabrics, hand-woven carpets and leather products can be found at bargain prices. For the village in Azerbaijan see Kültəpə. Kültepe is the name of the modern village near the ancient city of Kaneš in central eastern Trivia Akmerkez has been featured on Turkish television many times including the hit TV series Çılgın Bediş. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Bakırcılar Çarşısı (Bazaar of Coppersmiths) is particularly popular, and many interesting items, not just of copper, can be found here like jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiques and embroidery. Up the hill to the castle gate, there are many shops selling a huge and fresh collection of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other produce. Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine such as a Food dehydrator.

Modern shopping areas are mostly found in Kızılay, or on Tunalı Hilmi Avenue, including the modern mall of Karum which is located towards the end of the Avenue; and in the Atakule Tower at Çankaya, the quarter with the highest elevation in the city, which commands a magnificent view over the whole city and also has a revolving restaurant at the top where the complete panorama can be enjoyed in a more leisurely fashion. Atakule, is a 125m high communications and observation tower located in the Çankaya district of central Ankara, Turkey and is the primary landmark A revolving restaurant is a Restaurant on a revolving Floorplate.

As Ankara started expanding westward in the 1970s, there are several modern, suburbia-style developments and mini-cities along the western highway, also known as the Eskişehir Road. Eskişehir ( eskē'shehēr, Eskişehir "Old City" Latin: Dorylaeum; Greek: Δορύλαιον Dorylaion) is a city The Armada and CEPA malls on the highway, the Galleria in Ümitköy, and a huge mall in Bilkent Center offer North American and European style shopping opportunities (these places can be reached following the Eskişehir Highway). There is also the newly expanded Ankamall at the outskirts, on the Istanbul Highway, which houses most of the well-known European brands. This mall is the largest throughout the Ankara region.

Culture and education

Ankara Opera House of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet

The historical Evkaf Apartmanı in which the Head Office of the Turkish State Theaters is situated. Ankara Opera House (Opera Sahnesi of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet is the largest of the three venues for Opera and Ballet in Ankara The State Opera and Ballet (Devlet Opera ve Balesi is the national directorate of Opera and Ballet companies of Turkey, with venues in Ankara The building also houses the Küçük Tiyatro and Oda Tiyatrosu

Turkish State Opera and Ballet, the national directorate of opera and ballet companies of Turkey, has its headquarters in Ankara, and serves the city with three venues:

• Ankara Opera House (Opera Sahnesi, also known as Büyük Tiyatro)
• Leyla Gencer Sahnesi (named after world-famous soprano Leyla Gencer)
• Operet Sahnesi (also known as the Türkocağı Binası)

The Turkish State Theatres also has its head office in Ankara and runs the following stages in the city:

• 125. Yıl Çayyolu Sahnesi
• Büyük Tiyatro (also doubling as the Ankara Opera House)
• Küçük Tiyatro,
• Şinasi Sahnesi,
• Akün Sahnesi,
• Altındağ Tiyatrosu,
• İrfan Şahinbaş Atölye Sahnesi,
• Oda Tiyatrosu,
• Mahir Canova Sahnesi,
• Muhsin Ertuğrul Sahnesi. Küçük Tiyatro is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres as it actually located in the same building Oda Tiyatrosu is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres as it actually located in the same building The State Opera and Ballet (Devlet Opera ve Balesi is the national directorate of Opera and Ballet companies of Turkey, with venues in Ankara Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance Ankara Opera House (Opera Sahnesi of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet is the largest of the three venues for Opera and Ballet in Ankara Leyla Gencer, or Ayşe Leyla Çeyrekgil (b October 10, 1928 in Istanbul, Turkey – d The Turkish State Theatres ( Turkish: Devlet Tiyatroları - DT is the official directorate of the National theatre companies in Turkey. Küçük Tiyatro is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres as it actually located in the same building Şinasi Sahnesi is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres. Akün Sahnesi is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres. Altındağ Tiyatrosu is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres. İrfan Şahinbaş Atölye Sahnesi is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. Oda Tiyatrosu is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres as it actually located in the same building Mahir Canova Sahnesi is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres. Muhsin Ertuğrul Sahnesi is a Theatre in Ankara, Turkey. It is operated by the Turkish State Theatres.

In addition the city is served by several private theatre companies among which Ankara Sanat Tiyatrosu who have their own stage in the city centre is a notable example.

Ankara is host to five classical music orchestras:

• Cumhurbaşkanlığı Senfoni Orkestrası (Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra)
• Bilkent Senfoni Orkestrası
• Hacettepe Senfoni Orkestrası
• Orkestra Akademik Başkent
• Başkent Oda Orkestrası (Chamber Orchestra of the Capital) [3]

There are four concert halls in the city:

• CSO Konser Salonu
• Bilkent Konser Salonu
• MEB Şura Salonu (also known as the Festival Hall)
• Çankaya Çağdaş Sanatlar Merkezi Konser Salonu

The city has been host to several well-established, annual theatre, music, film festivals:

• Ankara Film Festivali
• Ankara Uluslararası Müzik Festivali (International Ankara Music Festival)
• Ankara Tiyatro Festivali
• Ankara Caz Festivali

Universities

Part of the METU campus, as seen from its MM Building

Ankara is noted, within Turkey, for the multitude of universities it is home to. Presidential Symphony Orchestra (Turkish Cumhurbaskanligi Senfoni Orkestrasi) is the presidential symphony orchestra of Turkey located in capital Ankara The Bilkent Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra located in Ankara, Turkey. The Hacettepe Symphony Orchestra ( Hacettepe Senfoni Orkestrası) is an Orchestra based in Ankara, Turkey. CSO Concert Hall ( Turkish: CSO Konser Salonu) is a Concert hall in Ankara. Bilkent Concert Hall ( Turkish: Bilkent Konser Salonu) is a Concert hall in Ankara. MEB Şura Salonu also known as Festival Hall is a Concert hall in Ankara. Çankaya Çağdaş Sanatlar Merkezi is a Concert hall in Ankara. Middle East Technical University ( METU; in Turkish, Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, commonly referred to as ODTÜ) is a public These include the following, several of them being among the most reputable in the country:

Transportation

Ankara rapid transit network

Esenboğa International Airport, located in the north-east of the city, is the main airport of Ankara. Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi is a Public university in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. Atılım University (In Turkish: Atılım Üniversitesi) is a private university founded in 1996. Başkent University (Başkent Üniversitesi was founded on January 13, 1994 by Prof Bilkent University (In Turkish: Bilkent Üniversitesi) the first private university of Turkey, was founded in Ankara on October 20 Çankaya University (Çankaya Üniversitesi was established August 27, 1997 by Sıtkı Alp Education Foundation and the university commenced its functions in the Gazi University ( Gazi Üniversitesi) is a public University primarily located in Ankara Turkey. Hacettepe University is a University in Ankara, Turkey. The University has two main campuses Middle East Technical University ( METU; in Turkish, Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, commonly referred to as ODTÜ) is a public TOBB University of Economics and Technology (In Turkish TOBB Ekonomi ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi) has been founded by The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Ufuk University ( Ufuk Üniversitesi) located in Ankara, Turkey, was established by the Turkish Foundation of Traffic Accidents in The Turkish Military Academy, (Kara Harp Okulu is a four year co-educational military academy located in the center of Ankara. History The Police academy was founded in accordance with Article 18 of the Act 32019 as a one-year-in service-training institute Esenboğa International Airport ( Ankara Esenboğa Havalimanı or Esenboğa Uluslararası Havalimanı) is an Airport in Ankara, the

Ankara Intercity Bus Terminal (Turkish: Ankara Şehirlerarası Terminal İşletmesi, AŞTİ) is an important part of the bus network which covers every neighbourhood in the city. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages.

The central train station, "Ankara Garı" of the Turkish State Railways (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları, TCDD), is an important hub connecting the western and eastern parts of the country. Turkish Republic State Railways (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları or TCDD) is the state corporation that operates the public Railway system in Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. High-speed rail services are to be operated between Ankara and Istanbul, beginning in 2009. The Turkish State Railways started building High-speed rail lines in 2003

The Electricity, Gas, Bus General Directorate (EGO)[4] operates the Ankara Metro and other forms of public transportation. The Ankara Metro (Ankara Metrosu is the Rapid transit system serving Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Ankara is currently served by suburban rail and two subway lines with about 300,000 total daily commuters, and three additional subway lines are under construction. Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is a Passenger rail transport service between a city center and outer suburbs and Commuter towns A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway

Sports

Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium

Like in all the other cities of Turkey, football is the most popular sport in Ankara. Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium (Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadyumu is the home ground for Ankara 's football clubs Gençlerbirliği and rival Ankaragücü The city has four football clubs currently competing in the Turkcell Super League: Gençlerbirliği (finished 5th in the league on the 2006-07 season), Büyükşehir Belediye Ankaraspor (finished 7th in the league on the 2006-07 season), and Ankaragücü (finished 13th in the league on the 2006/2007 season). A football team or a football club, in football (soccer is the collective name given to a number of players who play together in a Football game be it Association Gençlerbirliği Spor Kulübü is a Turkish football club from the capital Ankara, playing in the Turkcell Süper Lig. Ankara SAŞ, is a Turkish football club based in the Turkish capital Ankara. MKE Ankaragücü, (full name in Turkish: Makina Kimya Endüstrisi Ankaragücü) is a Turkish Sports club based in the Turkish capital Ankara The fourth club, Gençlerbirliği OFTAŞ has moved to participate in the Turkcell Super League during the 2007-08 season which started on August 10, 2007. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium is the venue for football games and has a capacity of 21,250 (all-seater). Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium (Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadyumu is the home ground for Ankara 's football clubs Gençlerbirliği and rival Ankaragücü ^[7]

In the Turkish Basketball League, Ankara is represented by Türk Telekom and CASA TED Ankara Kolejliler. For the Turkish basketball club see Türk Telekom BK. Türk Telekom is the formerly state owned Turkish Telecommunications

Ankara Buz Pateni Sarayı is where the ice skating and ice hockey competitions take place in the city. Ankara Ice Palace (GSİM Buz Pateni Sarayı formerly Belpa Buz Pateni Sarayı) is an indoor Ice skating and Ice hockey arena located in Ice skating is Traveling on Ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) blade-like devices moulded into special Boots A study Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice.

There are many popular spots for skateboarding which is active in the city since the 1980s. Skateboarding is the act of riding and performing tricks using a Skateboard. Skaters in Ankara usually meet in the park near the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi - TBMM, usually referred to simply as Meclis - "the Parliament" is the Unicameral

Other

Turkish Angora

Main article: Turkish Angora

Ankara is also home to a world famous cat breed — the Turkish Angora, called Ankara Kedisi in Turkish. The Turkish Angora (Ankara Kedisi is a breed of domestic Cat. The Turkish Angora (Ankara Kedisi is a breed of domestic Cat. They are medium to small in size, longhaired, long-bodied, relatively fine-boned. Besides their beauty and athletic grace, Turkish Angora cats are also well known for their intelligence. For instance, it is not uncommon for an Angora cat to play fetch or to open doors.

Ankara image gallery

View of central Ankara from the Botanical Garden	State Art and Sculpture Museum	Museum of Anatolian Civilizations	Esenboğa International Airport
Armada Tower & Shopping Center (2002)	Akman Tower (1999)	Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center (1991)	Atakule Tower (1989)
BDDK Building (1975), formerly the Türkiye İş Bankası headquarters	Emek Business Center (1962) on Kızılay Square	Buildings on Kızılay Square	Sheraton Hotel and Beymen Building
Botanik Park in central Ankara	Cemre Park in Demetevler	Cemre Park in Demetevler	Kuğulu Park, famous for its swans, geese and ducks
Kuğulu Park, famous for its swans, geese and ducks	Kurtuluş Park in central Ankara	Kurtuluş Park in central Ankara	Kurtuluş Park in central Ankara
Seğmenler Park in central Ankara	Seğmenler Park in central Ankara	Evcil Hayvanlar Park in Keçiören	Dikmen Valley Park

Town twinning

The following is a list of Ankara's sister cities:

See also

• Synod of Ancyra
• State Art and Sculpture Museum
• Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
• Ankara Ethnography Museum
• Turkish Angora

Notable people from Ankara

• Banu Can, CEV-Vice-President
• Filiz Akın, actress
• Emre Araci, music historian, composer, conductor
• İdil Biret, concert pianist, recording artist
• Ekrem Bora, actor
• Emin Çölaşan, journalist
• Yasemin Dalkılıç, free diver
• Vedat Dalokay, architect
• Ordal Demokan, physicist
• Can Dündar, journalist
• Erdal İnönü, politician and physicist
• Vehbi Koç, pioneer industrialist
• Fazil Say, concert pianist, composer
• Kartal Tibet, actor
• Alican John Gul, University of Minnesota CLA Ambassador

Musicians and music bands

References and notes

External links

• Ankara Photo Gallery
• Esenboğa International Airport
• Municipality of Ankara
• Governor of Ankara
• Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Ankara page
• Ankara Weather Forecast Information
• Ankara City Guide