Ankara

The capital of Turkey is a mass of low structures spread over a wide area. It lies in the middle of the Central Anatolian semi-desert. It is a very different city than the quiet Ottoman town of Angora which preceded it on the same site. Angora used to be a quiet place where longhaired goats were raised and their fleece knitted into fluffy jumpers. In the 1920's Atatürk set up his provisional government in Ankara and the city's most important function has been government ever since, but there are some significant attractions that make it worth a visit.

The Hisar is a Byzantine citadel atop the hill east of the old city. Nearby lies the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Atatürk's mausoleum is a few kilometers to the south; it is a monumental building, sober but beautiful, and built in the architectural style of several great Anatolian empires. The Presidential Mansion is preserved exactly as Atatürk used it, with decor and furnishing styles of the 1930s, including billiard table and cigar-and-brandy nook. Around Ankara you will find a lot of ancient history. Since Roman Ankara was a place of some importance, Roman ruins are to be found in many places around the city, as well as mosques and monuments of Muslim Anatolia. Most of the budget accommodation is located in old Ankara, about a km northeast of the train station.

Hours from UTC: 3
Daylight savings time: Late March through late October

City phone code: 4
Country phone code: 90