Ankara: Museums, Castle and Capital History

Get to know Ankara through its museums, castle and development into a modern capital. Its history spans the early cultures of Anatolia, the founding of the Republic of Turkey and 20th-century architecture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ankara, first consider what you’d like your trip to focus on: archaeological collections, the history of the Republic, historic buildings or a look at the cityscape. Ankara simit is also part of the city’s culinary profile. Ankara offers several specific points of interest to help you choose a destination that suits your interests.

Museums: From Early Cultures to the Republic

The collections at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations are arranged chronologically. They span the Paleolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods, followed by the Assyrian trading colonies, the early Hittites and the Hittite Empire. Next come the Phrygian and Late Hittite kingdoms, the Urartian Kingdom, the history of Ankara and classical antiquity. This broad timeline makes the museum a place to explore different periods of Anatolian history.

The museum is housed in two historic Ottoman buildings, Mahmutpaşa Bedesten and Kurşunlu Han. Virtual tours and reconstructions complement the collections, offering additional ways to engage with the exhibits alongside the historical objects. A different focus awaits at the Atatürk and War of Independence Museum in Anıtkabir. There, a range of exhibition techniques illustrate the battles of Çanakkale, Sakarya, the Great Offensive and the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief, as well as the founding years of the Republic of Turkey and the Atatürk era. The Ankara Ethnography Museum displays artifacts from Anatolia’s Turkish-Islamic period.

The Castle and Historic Buildings

The inner citadel of Ankara was built by the Byzantines in the 7th century and has 42 towers. The inhabited area of the castle contains old Ankara houses dating from after the 17th century, the Alaaddin Mosque, which dates back to the 12th century, as well as historic fountains and shops. Here, different traces of the city’s history come together: fortifications, homes, a religious building and signs of everyday life.

The Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque is also a notable cultural landmark: it is located on Augustus Square in Ankara. Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, is in the city center and is recommended as an ideal starting point for exploring the city. The two sites represent different aspects of the capital’s history and complement a visit to its museums and castle.

Capital Architecture and City History

Ankara’s architectural development from the 1920s to the 1970s is considered an outstanding example of 20th-century modern capital planning. A UNESCO Tentative List dossier recognizes the modernist urban fabric and architectural heritage of the new Republic. This includes surviving public buildings, as well as public parks and squares in Ulus and Kızılay and along Atatürk Boulevard. This recognition is part of the UNESCO Tentative List and is not an inscription on the World Heritage List.

As you explore Ankara, you can look beyond earlier periods and consider how a capital was designed in the 20th century. The public buildings, parks and squares mentioned here place this heritage in specific parts of the cityscape. Together with the museums and historic buildings, they offer a varied way to explore the city’s history, with attractions spanning different periods and themes.

Restoration and Wildlife Insights

The Ankara Miras construction-site tours offer insights into the restoration work at the Roman Theatre of Ankara, the Arkeopark Ankara project and urban improvements in Ankara Castle. The tours include expert guides and information about the city’s history. Dates and registration details may change; check both before planning your visit.

Opened in 2025, Ankara Nature Park and Zoo offers modern animal facilities and animal-friendly habitats for more than 50 species. These include red deer, greater flamingos, macaws, zebras and vervet monkeys. The animal population may change. The nature park offers a different focus from the museums, architecture and historic urban spaces.

A Culinary Specialty

Ankara simit is one of Ankara’s best-known culinary specialties. If you’re interested in local cuisine, it’s a fitting culinary highlight for your trip. Alongside the museums, castle and modern capital architecture, it reveals another side of the destination.

Discover more destinations: İstasyon Mh., Akkaya, Yukarıbağdere, Şereflikoçhisar, Dikmen, Serinyayla Köyü, Beypazarı, Yıldırımbeyazıt Mahallesi

For the broader travel overview: Ankara.