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Ankara  Spices for sale in the market at Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The town originally prospered as a trading city under the Hittites before 1200 BC because it was at the crossroads of the north–south and east–west trade routes. Today there is a busy bazaar, where merchants sell all kinds of goods including spices.  Ankara, Turkey. The city of Ankara in northwestern Turkey has been the country's capital since 1923. With a population of 2.5 million, it is the second-largest city in Turkey. The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and the city was in turn ruled by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, all of which have left their mark on the city's diverse architecture.  The old section of Ankara, Turkey. Most of this part of Ankara lies on a hill surrounding the old citadel. The two-storey wood and mud-brick houses are characteristic of this part of the city, which also contains the commercial centre and much of Ankara's cultural life. Capital of Turkey and the country's second-largest city after Istanbul; population (2003 est) 3,456,100, urban agglomeration 3,582,000. Industries include cement, food products, wine, farm machinery, iron and steel, electronics, textiles, and leather products. Grains, vegetables, and fruit are grown nearby, and angora goats, famous for the mohair made from their coats, are bred here. Ankara replaced Istanbul (then in Allied occupation) as capital in 1923. History Known in ancient times as Ancyra and later as Angora, the city was an important commercial centre as early as Hittite times (18th century BC). Conquered by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, it came under Roman rule in 189 BC and became the capital of a Roman province (Galatia Prima) in 25 BC. It was an important city of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and was later occupied by Persians, Arabs, Seljuk Turks, and Crusaders. The Ottoman Turks conquered the city in the mid-14th century, and in 1402 Tamerlane defeated and captured Sultan Beyazid I here. The city declined in the late 19th century and by the early 20th century it became a small town known primarily for its mohair production. Kemal Atatürk set up his provisional nationalist government in Ankara in 1920 with a commitment to modernization. When Ankara replaced Istanbul as the capital of Turkey in 1923, the choice represented a break with tradition while also taking advantage of the city's central location. The new city was laid out in 1928, and its name was changed from Angora to Ankara in 1930. The city grew rapidly from the 1920s; its population had almost doubled by the 1960s. Universities Ankara is an important educational centre. In 1946, in accordance with the first Universities Act, all the previously established faculties in Ankara were united to form Ankara University. Ankara University is the second oldest university in Turkey and third oldest in Turkey. Other universities in the city are Hacettepe University, which was chartered in 1967, Gazi University, and Middle East Technical University. |
Other attractions The old city near the ruins of the citadel is a traditional Middle Eastern centre, with narrow, winding streets. On the whole, Ankara is a modern city, with few historic remains. The city has the presidential palace and Grand National Assembly buildings, the Atatürk mausoleum (completed in 1953)on a nearby hilltop, remains from Roman baths, and the largest mosque in Turkey at Kocatepe. The city also has several museums, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations which houses a notable collection of Hittite artefacts. |
Ankara| Province in north central Turkey, bordered to the northwest by Bolu, on the north by Çankiri, on the east by Kirikkale and Kirşehir, on the southeast by Aksaray, on the south by Konya, and on the west by Eskişehir; area 25,710 sq km/9,889 sq mi; population (1990 est) 3,236,600. The main cities and towns are Ankara (capital), Güdül, Kalecik, Polatli, and Balâ. The province is situated in the steppelands of Anatolia and contains Lake Tuz (saltwater), Hirfanli Reservoir, Kizilirmak River, and Soǧuksu National Park. Industries include engineering, food processing, textiles, leather products, and cement; the raising of sheep and Angora goats for mohair is important. |
| The extreme climate of the steppes, with severe winter and high summer temperatures, limits agricultural activity to livestock farming. |
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