Must see attractions in Ankara

The best place in the country to get to grips with the complex weave of Turkey's history, the exhibits here house artefacts cherry-picked from just about…

The monumental mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938), the founder of modern Turkey, sits high above the city with its abundance of marble and air…

Ankara's newest museum houses the astounding collection of mostly Roman (but also Bronze Age, Hittite and Byzantine) artefacts collected over the years by…

The imposing hisar (citadel) is the most interesting part of Ankara to poke about in. This well-preserved quarter of thick walls and winding streets took…

Housed inside the building (built 1927) that served as Atatürk's mausoleum until the Anıt Kabir was built, the Ethnography Museum has a small but well…

The tradition of carpets being gifted to mosques has helped preserve many of Turkey's finest specimens. This extensive collection – which once graced the…

Ankara's most revered mosque is Hacı Bayram Cami. Hacı Bayram Veli was a Muslim 'saint' who founded the Bayramiye dervish order around 1400. Ankara was…

The surprisingly absorbing Rahmi M Koç Industrial Museum, located inside the beautifully restored Çengelhan caravanserai building, has three floors…

You enter the Anıt Kabir by the Lion Road, lined along its 262m length leading up to the vast plaza by 24 lion statues. Two squat towers mark the entrance…

The Painting & Sculpture Museum showcases the cream of Turkish artists. Ranging from angular war scenes to society portraits, the pieces demonstrate that…

This Seljuk-era mosque is one of Ankara's most beautiful. It has an interior of chunky wooden columns topped by Roman capitals, an intricately carved…

Climb up this tower in the hisar (citadel) area for excellent views across Ankara.

The buildings on one side of the Anıt Kabir plaza (to the right of the tomb) contain an extensive museum dedicated to both the life of Atatürk and Turkey…

At the sprawling 3rd-century Roman Baths ruins, the layout is still clearly visible; look for the standard Roman apoditerium (dressing room), frigidarium …

At the southern end of Tunalı Hilmi Caddesi, Kuğulu Parkı is a leafy oasis with a fountain-spouting pond ringed by cafes and garden beds of pansies. On…

In the heart of the city, Gençlik Parkı has a lake and fountains (lit up after dark), colourful flower beds and plenty of space for kids to run about. It…

The Alaettin Cami is the oldest mosque in Ankara, dating from the 12th century, but has been extensively rebuilt. Another full restoration was ongoing in…

The huge outline of Kocatepe Cami is the symbol of Ankara. It is one of the world's largest mosques but it is also a modern addition, built between 1967…

Located in an old train depot, this huge artists' park and gallery exhibits modern and challenging art from across Europe, plus there's an excellent cafe…

This huge modern mosque, with a capacity of up to 7000 worshippers, was built in 2017 in traditional Ottoman style. It's a major landmark on Atatürk…