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Ankara is the capital of Turkey. It is the second largest city in the country. The city also holds the status of the capital of Ankara Province. It was known as Ancyra, which means, "anchor" in Greek. Being the capital, it is an important commercial and industrial city and the center of the Turkish Government that houses all foreign embassies. The Galatians, who were the first to make Ankara their capital, occupied the city in 278 BC. The city fell to the Roman Empire in 189 BC and became the capital of the Roman province of Galatia. It later became a gate to the east for Rome and developed much, achieving the status of "city-state". The city developed further after it became the capital of the newly founded Republic of Turkey and was divided into an old section, called Ulus and a new section, called Yenisehir.
Area & Location:Centrally located in Anatolia, the city is situated upon a steep and rocky hill that rises 500 ft. above the plain on the left bank of a tributary of the Sakarya River- the Enguri Su. Located at 39°52'30" Latitude North and 32°52' Longitude East, Ankara is one of the driest places in Turkey. The city has a population of 4,319,167.
Tourist Attractions: The archeological sites, mosques, museums and other monuments are really eye appealing for the visitors.
Transportation: Esenboga International Airport is the main airport of Ankara. The Ankara Inter-City Bus Terminal is the main means of inter-city transportation.
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Turkish Republic Railways connects the western as well as eastern parts of the country. There are at present two subway lines in the city that provide easy transportation to the public.
Hotels:Hotels located near the Parliament house and international embassies are really convenient for the tourists who make a business trip to the city. Best Western Hotel Ikibin-2000, Ankara Hilton, Swissotel Ankara, Radisson Sas Hotel Ankara, Best Western Hotel Ornek, Hotel 2000 Anittepe, Ramada Hotel Ankara Turkey and Turist Hotel provide tailor-made reception to its guests. The hotels located in the heart of the city gives panoramic views of the city.
Places of Attraction:Anitkabir -the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, The Ankara Ethnography Museum- a fine collection of folkloric as well as Seljuk and Ottoman-era artifacts, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations-a unique collection of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman works, The Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum -an industrial museum opposite the entrance to the Citadel, The State Art and Sculpture Museum -that houses a rich collection of Turkish art, The War of Independence Museum -the first parliament building and TCDD Locomotive Museum- an open-air museum preserve all important artifacts of the city. Kocatepe Mosque and Haci Bayram Mosque are the famous mosques in the city. The city also possesses number of parks, botanical gardens and zoo.
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