Ankara is a city in Turkey filled with historic and natural sites that will amaze any traveler with any taste. This wonderful city is full of attractions that made it famous among cities in Turkey. Every year a lot of travelers from all over the world choose Ankara as their travel destination. The reason that this city is so popular and famous among tourists is its many tourist attractions and the potential that it has for hosting travelers and tourists from all around the world.
Top 15 attractions of Ankara city
If you are wondering about what are the most popular attractions of Ankara just like me then you should keep reading. We’ve made a pocket list of Ankara’s top attractions that you have to visit on your trip to this glamorous city.
- Anitkabir
- Atakule
- Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
- Eymir Lake
- Ankara Castle
- Genclik Park
- Rahmi M. Koc Museum Ankara
- Hattusa
- Roman Baths of Ankara
- Temple of Augustus
- War of Independence Museum
- Hamamonu Restored the area
- Altinkoy open-air museum
- Haci Bayram Mosque
- Kocatepe Mosque
Anitkabir
Anitkabir is one of the must-visit attractions in Ankara city and an important historic site. Anitkabir is a mausoleum where the leader of Turkey’s independence and the first president of this country, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is buried. this place is a museum and a historic site at the same time with charming architecture. The Republic of Tukey’s government started building this place in 1944 and the construction took about 9 years.
Antikabir has four main sections. The second section is called the road of lions and it is a long walkway for visitors to enjoy. if you get lucky you can watch Turkish troops taking a march. The second section is a peace park which is a green space filled with trees and flowers. The other regions are the ceremonial plaza and the hall of honor where you can find the sepulcher of Ataturk in there.
Atakule
One of the greatest attractions in Ankara city is the Atakule tower which is also one of the main landmarks in the city. This fascinating building is a communications and observation tower which is one of the symbols of Ankara city. This charming tower is situated in the Cankaya district of Ankara city which is 125 meters in height.
You can see this tower from anywhere in the city and the tower provides a panoramic view of Ankara city. This stunning tower was inaugurated in the year 1986 and it stays as the symbol of the city since then.
Museum of Anatolian civilizations
The Museum of Anatolian civilization is another spectacular attraction in Ankara city which is located in the historical and old district of the city. It is located in the southern part of Ankara castle. This museum showcases a lot of specimens from the paleolithic age to the Ottoman empire age. This museum holds a lot of treasures that are linked to the history and heritage of Ankara city.
You will learn so much about the history and culture of Turkey, Ankara, and Anatoly in this museum. If you are wondering where are the roots of the rich heritage of this city you have to visit the museum of Anatolian civilizations.
Eymir Lake
One of the picturesque and pristine attractions in Ankara city is the Eymir lake. This lake is 20 kilometers out of Ankara city with a pleasant nature and a peaceful space for spending a relaxing evening. Local people and tourists come to this landscape for running, biking, or a picnic.
There are some restaurants in the area around Eymir lake where you can enjoy a pleasant meal with your friends and family. If you are looking for a place to take your mind off the daily problems or meditate and relax a little bit you can come to the Eymir lake for an excursion.
Ankara castle (Ankara Kalesi)
Ankara Castle is another attraction that we chose for the top 10 attractions of Ankara’s list. If you are a history enthusiast and after exploring the museums and historical places in Ankara you are eager to learn more about the history of this land and have a closer experience with it, then you should visit Ankara castle.
This castle was used as a fortress. The construction date of the Ankara castle is not clear but the oldest fortifications that were found in this castle belong to the 8th century.
As you may already know Ankara is a modern city but Ankara castle is a reminder of the olden days of this city. Climbing the hills of Ankara castle is definitely not easy but you can be sure that after climbing and getting to the top of the castle you will see a spectacular view of Ankara city that will ease the hard work of climbing for you.
Genclik Park
One of Ankara’s greatest attractions is Genclik park which is an outdoor park with the largest green space in the city. Despite the green space that covers most of Genclik’s land, there are some of Turkey’s greatest amusement parks in this place with water fountains and creative architecture. There is also a swimming pool and a boating place in this park.
Local people and tourists come to this park for spending a vacation and having a good time. There are a lot of recreations that you can do in this park as well as a large space for relaxing and meditating.
Rahmi M. Koc Museum Ankara
Rahmi M. Koc museum is one of the most exciting attractions in Ankara that educates you as well as entertains you. this is a museum mostly focused on technology and the history of technological changes in Ankara and Turkey. There’s another branch of this museum in Istanbul city which is more famous and popular.
Rahmi M. Koc museum showcases a lot of specimens about the communication and transfer technologies of Turkey throughout centuries. Make sure you visit this fascinating museum on your trip to Ankara.
Hattusa
Hattusa is a historic site and a city full of ruins from the Hittite Empire and one of the best attractions in Ankara. Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite empire at its time full of rock relics that remained from the Hittite time. The Hittite empire was one of the greatest empires in the world and one of the first civilizations in India and Europe.
If you are interested to learn more about the history of Anatoly and Turkey, you have to visit the Hattusa region. Hattusa is located in the Anatolian region of Ankara. It is also one of the rare places in Ankara which are registered and added to the UNESCO list.
Roman Baths of Ankara
Roman baths of Ankara or commonly known as the baths of Caracalla is one of the less known and unexplored historic sites in Ankara that we highly recommend visiting. If you are a risky traveler and you are curious to explore the less popular places in a city, then you should visit the roman baths of Ankara.
The Roman baths of Ankara were built in the third century and it has three distinct zones: hot bath, warm bath, and cold bath. This bath was open for business and providing services until the eighth century.
Temple of Augustus
The Temple of Augustus is another must-visit attraction in Ankara and one of the oldest buildings in the city. This temple has remained since the first century and belonged to Augustus who was the former roman emperor.
The walls of the Temple of Augustus are rife with inscriptions in Latin and Greek languages that are written by Augustus and narrate the story of his wars and conquests. This striking building is one of the most important remains of the Roman Empire.
War of Independence Museum
The War of independence museum is one of the best attractions of Ankara and a great representor of modern Turkey’s war of independence. The building was the first Turkish Grand National Assembly. This building plays an important role in the political history of modern Turkey.
Despite the history and story behind the building of the war of independence museum, there is a fascinating collection of photographs, historical documents, statues of public figures, etc. that all tell about the war of independence in this museum.
Hamamonu Restored area
Hamamonu resorted area is a historic neighborhood in Ankara and one of the spectacular attractions in the city. By strolling in the Hamamonu neighborhood you can travel in time and go to the Ottoman empire time.
By walking in Hamamonu’s resorted area you can get a closer look at the culture and beauty of Turkish lifestyle and architecture. There are also several museums and historic mosques in this region that you can visit.
Altinkoy open-air museum
Altinkoy open-air museum is one of the most interesting museums in Ankara and one of its top attractions. Altinkoy is an outdoor museum and one of the perfect places for tourists who are eager to learn about the lifestyle of Turkish people in the previous century.
Altinkoy is actually a landscape that was built to look like a typical Turkish village and reflect their lifestyle. Foreign visitors find this outdoor museum very interesting; especially non-Middle Eastern travelers.
Haci Bayram Mosque
Haci Bayram mosque is built in honor of a founder of Sufism and is one of the most famous mosques in Ankara. This mosque was built in the 15th century for the first time and restored in the 16th century. The last restoration happened in 2011.
Colorful tiles, wooden roofs, green bricks, and all of the other specifications of interior design and architecture of this mosque remind you of Ottoman-style architecture. Haci Bayram Mosque is located in the Ulus neighborhood and it is easily accessible.
Kocatepe Mosque
Kocatepe Mosque is one the most interesting and fascinating landmarks in Ankara city. The construction of the Kocatepe Mosque started in 1967 and the inauguration date was in 1987.
You can see the minarets of Kocatepe Mosque from almost every spot in Ankara city. There are a minimal number of mosques all over the world with this amazing architecture. Kocatepe is the largest mosque in Ankara city where more than 24 thousand prayers can pray at the same time.
Final words about the top 10 attractions of Ankara
Ankara is the second most important city and the capital of Turkey. Ankara has so many attractions and scenery that you need more than a day to explore all of them; even a week. In this article, we named the top 10 attractions of Ankara and wrote a short profile about them. Hope it will help you when you are planning a trip to the charming city of Turkey, Ankara.
