Anıtkabir (Atatürk Mausoleum)

Landmark

One day my mortal body will turn to dust, but the Turkish Republic will stand forever. Ankara's most visited attraction is also Turkey's most important modern pilgrimage site. Sitting on a hilltop, just to the west of the city center, is the mausoleum of Atatürk (Mustafa Kemal), the founder of the state of Turkey. As well as the actual mausoleum, with its lavish use of marble, the site, centered round a vast plaza, contains a large museum complex. It contains both exhibits on the War of Independence, led by Atatürk, which resulted in the birth of Turkey as a modern nation, and displays focused on Atatürk's life.

Ataturk & Independence War Museum

Museum

Paintings, documents & replica weapons describing the establishment of the Turkish republic.

Atatürk House

Museum

Hamamönü

Landmark

Traditional, wooden-beamed Ottoman-period mansions! Hamamönü is one of the few areas in the central city that has managed to preserve its architecture, so a stroll here is a taster of what the city looked like before the modern era. It's a good place to browse for traditional Turkish crafts, with market stalls set up just off the cobblestone alleys.

Kızılay

Sightseeing

From souvenirs to luxury goods, high street fashions to items for the home, the Kızılay district is where many in Ankara come to shop.

Gençlik Parkı

Park

Vast recreational area with paved walks alongside a pond, shaded benches & a small amusement park.

Altınköy

Insta Spot

Seğmenler Parkı

Insta Spot

Altın Köşk Müzesi

Insta Spot

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

Museum

Museum of artifacts from the Paleolithic era to the classical period, some displayed in a courtyard.

Ankara Castle

Must to See

Ancient castle built on a rocky hilltop, offering panoramic views of the city in all directions.

Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi

Museum

This museum is reason enough to include Ankara. It's the only place in the country where you can grasp the full scope of Anatolia's pre-Classical-era human history. The most important finds from the Neolithic village site of Çatalhöyük, near Konya, including the wall painting thought by some archaeologists to be the world's first town map and the famed fertility goddess statue, are displayed here in the first hall.

Kuğulu Park

Park

Public park featuring walking paths, a children's playground & a pond populated with swans & ducks.