Museums

Anıtkabir:
Anıtkabir, completed in 1953, is an impressive structure combining ancient and modern architectural styles. It stands on Anıttepe, a prominent hill once used as a burial site during the Phrygian period and excavated during the early Republic. It houses the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. The museum within Anıtkabir displays Atatürk’s writings, letters, personal belongings, and photographs reflecting the founding of the Republic and important moments in his life. Anıtkabir is open every day.

Ankara Ethnography Museum:
Dedicated to the cultural characteristics of all civilizations that lived in Anatolia, this museum exhibits artifacts from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations:
Located at the entrance of Ankara Castle, this museum was established by restoring the Mahmut Pasha Bazaar and Kurşunlu Han. With its unique collections, it is ranked among the world’s most significant museums. It displays Anatolian archaeology in chronological order from the Paleolithic Age to the Seljuk Period.

Erimtan Museum:
Located within Ankara Castle, this museum exhibits the historical and cultural artifacts of Anatolia and also hosts various cultural and artistic events.

Museum of Painting and Sculpture:
Adjacent to the Ethnography Museum, this museum features works of fine arts and sculpture. It exhibits works by prominent artists in Turkish painting and sculpture and occasionally hosts special themed exhibitions.

War of Independence Museum:
Located in Ulus Square, this building served as the first Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). It was where the War of Independence was planned and directed. The museum displays many photographs, documents, and furniture reflecting the period, along with wax statues of former presidents of the Republic of Turkey.

TCDD Locomotive Museum:
An open-air museum near the Celal Bayar Train Station, showcasing the history of steam locomotives and related vehicles.

Turkish Air Force Aviation Museum:
Situated on the Istanbul highway in Etimesgut, this museum displays various aircraft formerly used by the Turkish Air Force (e.g., F-86, F-100).

Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum:
The first and only industry-themed museum in Ankara, the Rahmi Koç Museum is dedicated to transportation, industry, communication, the history of Ankara, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic.

Ankara Castle:
Serving both defensive and residential purposes throughout history, Ankara Castle has been maintained and restored in nearly every era, contributing to its survival. Though its exact date of construction is unknown, it is believed to have existed during the 2nd century BC when the Galatians settled in Ankara. During Roman times, Emperor Caracalla repaired the city walls during his Anatolian visit. The outer walls of the Roman-era castle, once located near the Temple of Augustus, were much lower than the inner walls still standing today. After successive attacks and restorations by the Sassanids and Byzantines, several emperors repaired and modified the walls. During the Ottoman period, the walls were occasionally expanded. The Eti Museum, established in 1921 on Atatürk’s suggestion, began in Akkale—the highest tower of the castle—and served as the Republic’s first museum until 1948.

Temple of Augustus / Monumentum Ancyranum:
Built between 25–20 BC on a former sacred site dedicated to local deities, this temple commemorates the Roman Empire’s full annexation of Anatolia and the establishment of the province of Galatia. Upon Augustus’ death in 14 AD, his testament, Res Gestae Divi Augusti, was inscribed in Latin and Greek on the pronaos and cella walls. Of the three surviving examples in the world, the Ankara inscription is the best preserved. The temple was later used as a church, and after the Ottoman conquest in the early 15th century, Hacı Bayram Mosque was added to its northwest corner.

Roman Theater:
Built in the 2nd century AD, the theater follows the typical Anatolian design: seating carved into natural rock and supported with rubble and mortar. There are two parodoi (entrances) on the east and west, and the stage building (skene) opens into the orchestra via five doors. The orchestra was later converted into a pool for water performances during Byzantine times. Structural changes in the skene and adjacent vaulted rooms suggest later reuse. In the late Byzantine period, the seating was likely dismantled.

Roman Bath:
Located on a mound and showing continuous settlement from the Phrygian through Ottoman periods, this site includes remnants of the columned street of ancient Ancyra and Roman bath and palaestra buildings. Situated on Çankırı Avenue north of Ulus Square, this Roman bath, dedicated to the god of healing Asklepios, was built in the 3rd century AD and used for about fifty years.

Column of Julian:
Also known as Belkıs Minaret, this column was erected in honor of Emperor Julian’s visit to Ancyra in 362 AD. Originally located beside Taşhan, it was moved to its current spot in front of the Governor’s Office in the early Republican era.

Victory Monument:
Erected in 1927 in Zafer Square, Sıhhiye, this statue depicts Atatürk in military uniform.

Hatti Monument / Sun Disc:
This symbolic monument was installed in Sıhhiye Square in 1970 to represent the Hattians, ancient inhabitants of Anatolia.