One of Ankara\u2019s iconic structures, the Kocatepe Mosque opened for worship in 1987 after years of construction. Set on an area of 4,500 square meters, the design of the Kocatepe Mosque is similar to structures erected by Mimar Sinan, the prominent 16th<\/sup>-century Ottoman architect. The mosque has four minarets and a stunning interior with fine workmanship. It is located in the district of Kocatepe, from which it takes its name.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nTake a deep breath: Se\u011fmenler Park<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are two well-known parks in Ankara:\u00a0 one is the Ankara Ku\u011fulu Park (Swan Park) and the other is Se\u011fmenler Park. The two parks are relatively close to each other. Ku\u011fulu Park features a large pond with swans, ducks and other waterfowl; Se\u011fmenler Park is larger, with walking paths and beautiful city views.\u00a0 Both are lovely places to take a break, relax and perhaps read a bit. Our suggestion: J.D. Salinger\u2019s Franny and Zooey<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNature in all its tranquility: Lake Eymir<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSet within the borders of the METU campus, Lake Eymir is a beautiful natural site with unique flora and fauna, including mallard ducks,\u00a0 coots and other birds.\u00a0 The lake\u2019s shoreline is around nine meters and its average depth is about four meters.\u00a0 It is popular for cycling, walking and jogging \u2013 and an ideal area to bask in nature\u2019s tranquility.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A trip into history: Ankara Castle<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBuilt atop a high hill with narrow streets that are home to the city\u2019s oldest neighborhood, Ankara Castle is a popular destination in the city. Allegedly, the castle\u2019s structure was based on a dream of the Phrygian King Midas. The two- and three-story old Ankara houses leading up to the castle are quite picturesque. Evliya \u00c7elebi, the celebrated travel writer, visited the city in 1640 and described the Ankara Castle as follows: \u201cOn the top of a mountain in Ankara, there is a strong castle made of four layers of white stone. The castle is surrounded by three rows of nested walls: The surrounding of the citadel has a rocky structure. It is not easy to climb up to the castle on these craggy rocks. There are weapons, ammunition and six hundred houses in the citadel. The citadel is surrounded with a second row of walls at the bottom. At the foothills of the mountain, there is the third row of outer walls. With these outer walls, the city is now fully secured.\u201d The castle is located in Ankara\u2019s Alt\u0131nda\u011f district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the trail of the past: The Ethnography Museum of Ankara<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe Ethnography Museum has the distinction of being the first building in T\u00fcrkiye to be erected specifically as a museum. It was opened to visitors in 1930 and exhibits artefacts from ordinary life throughout history, dating to the Turkish-Islamic period of Anatolia.\u00a0 A reminder: after the death of Mustafa Kemal Atat\u00fcrk in 1938, his body was kept in this building until it was moved to the An\u0131tkabir in 1953. The bronze Atat\u00fcrk sculpture in front of the museum is the work of Italian sculptor Pietro Canonica. For those unable to visit the museum in person, virtual tours are available.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Witnessing the present: CerModern<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEstablished in the former railway depot of S\u0131hhiye, CerModern is\u00a0 Ankara\u2019s gateway to contemporary art and culture. The museum\u2019s website features information on its current and temporary exhibitions, as well as an events calendar with festivals and meetings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A phenomenon: Atakule Tower<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe futuristic Atakule Tower was inaugurated in 1987 by the former Turkish president, Turgut \u00d6zal, to commemorate the sixty-sixth anniversary of Ankara becoming T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s capital.\u00a0 At the foot of the tower is a shopping complex \u2013 the second shopping mall built in T\u00fcrkiye and Ankara\u2019s first. The 125-meter-tall tower features an upscale rotating restaurant with a terrace and an observation deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The heart of the state theatres: The Ankara State Theatre<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTheatre arts have a long-standing history in Ankara and at the heart of this venerable culture is the Ankara State Theatre, which was T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s first official institution of art.\u00a0 The founding of the theatre was spearheaded by Turkish actor Muhsin Ertu\u011frul and it opened in\u00a0 October 1949. The Ankara State Theatre is still active, featuring performances staged in several halls, including the \u015einasi Stage, the K\u00fc\u00e7\u00fck Tiyatro and the Oda Tiyatrosu.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Presidential Library (The Nation\u2019s Library of the Presidency): T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s largest library<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe Presidential Library is a megaplex that can serve 5,500 people at the same time. The library contains four million printed and more than 120 million electronic publications, as well as rare literary works and 550,000 e-books. Various seminars, exhibitions and events are also held in the Presidential Library.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re hungry: What to eat in Ankara<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFirst, Ankara\u2019s soup season kicks off in October and runs throughout the winter, offering visitors a variety of hearty Turkish soups. Some of the city\u2019s restaurants are quite notable: Patisserie Liva\u00a0 for a rich breakfast; d\u00f6ner and its variations at Aspava; and the famous d\u00f6ner kebab of Mutlu Restaurant at Guvenlik Caddesi No: 69. In fact, Ankara is known for its d\u00f6ner, thus we can mention three other establishments: Pe\u00e7enek D\u00f6ner, Canbolat in Ayd\u0131nl\u0131kevler, and Cici Piknik in Kumrular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though it might surprise visitors, allegedly the best fish in T\u00fcrkiye is found in Ankara. Even though the city is landlocked, the best fish from the Turkish coasts are brought to the country\u2019s capital. Trilye is among Ankara\u2019s prominent fish restaurants.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For carnivores, Etmanyak Burger & Sausage, on Farabi Street, is a popular gathering place. And let\u2019s not forget the Ankara simit \u2013 save a piece to share with the swans at Ku\u011fulu Park!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stories knock at your door!<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\nYou can easily download images, and share on your social media accounts via your smartphone. Just press and hold the story, and save or share the image you have selected via the menu that appears.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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List First duty: An\u0131tkabir (Atat\u00fcrk’s Monumental Tomb) A sanctuary: Ankara Kocatepe Mosque For a moment to take a breath: Se\u011fmenler Park Lake Eymir Ankara Castle Ethnography Museum of Ankara CerModern A phenomenon: Atakule Tower Ankara State Theatre Presidential Library (The Nation’s Library of the Presidency) What to eat in Ankara? First duty: The An\u0131tkabir (Atat\u00fcrk\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":27674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[393,991,145,989,147,239],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-27458","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ankara-travel-guide","8":"category-cities-of-turkey","9":"category-destinations","10":"category-historical-places-to-visit-in-turkey","11":"category-trip-ideas","12":"category-city-vacation"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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