Ankara Facts & Worksheets

Ankara, known initially as Angora, is Turkey’s capital and second-largest city. The city sits at an average elevation of 850 meters in the country’s northwestern corner. It is home to 4,319,167 people (out of a total Province population of 5,153,000). It was named Ankuwash by the Hittites, Ancyra by the Galatians and Romans, and Aγκυρα Ánkyra in the classical, Hellenistic, and Byzantine civilizations. Since its founding, Ankara has been the provincial capital of the same name. 

See the fact file below for more information about Ankara, or you can download our 25-page Ankara worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DESCRIPTION

• Ankara, Turkey, is a significant business and industrial hub in the heart of Anatolia. All foreign embassies in Turkey are located there, making it the country’s political epicenter. Situated in the hub of Turkey’s highway and rail network, it is the primary commercial hub for the country’s agricultural sector. Ankara is home to some of Turkey’s biggest construction firms and vital defense manufacturers like TUSA Aerospace Industries, Incorporated, a Turkish-American joint venture.
• As well as its long-haired Angora goats and their treasured wool (mohair), the city was also well-known for its Angora cats, Angora bunnies, pears, honey, and muscat grapes.

LOCATION

• Located on the left side of the Enguri Su, Ankara is perched atop a steep and rocky slope that rises 500 feet above the plain below. 
• About 125 miles south of the Black Sea, the city can be found at 39°52’30” North, 32°52′ East. Surrounded by barren, featureless steppe vegetation, the city is home to several archaeological sites from the Hittite, Phrygian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. Cold, icy winters and scorching, dry summers characterize the region’s harsh continental environment. The seasons of spring and fall are typically the wettest.
• The old castle’s ruins sit atop the hill, adding to the magnificent scenery; however, only a little remains of the poorly constructed original city—narrow alleyways lined with homes made of sun-dried mud bricks.
• The Temple of Augustus, also known as the Monumentum Ancyranum, is the most impressive of the many well-preserved relics of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine architecture.

HISTORY

• The city’s founding date is still being determined. However, archaeological evidence suggests existence from the Stone Age and a wealthy Phrygian town around the end of the 2nd millennium BC. After Alexander the Great captured Ankara in 333 BCE, the Tectosages tribe of Galatia made it their capital in the 3rd century BC. Ankara joined the Roman Empire in 25 BC under Augustus.
• Persians and Arabs invaded Byzantine Ankara. The Seljuq Turks took Ankara in 1073, but Raymond IV of Toulouse expelled them in 1101. However, the Byzantines lost power, and the Seljuqs and their Turkish frontier lord rivals fought over Ankara. Seljuq princes fought for the city after 1143. With the Seljuq empire, Ankara declined.
• The city was taken by Orhan (Orkhan), the second Ottoman ruler, in 1354 and became an Ottoman territory in 1360. 
• Timur besieged Ankara during his Anatolian expedition. It returned to Ottoman rule in 1403 and became a commercial and urban center again due to its placement on the caravan route to the East.
• In 1919, Turkish nationalist Mustafa Kemal Atatürk established his headquarters in Ankara to spearhead the resistance struggle against the Ottoman ruler and the Greek invaders. Ankara became Turkey’s capital in 1923.

THE CONTEMPORARY CITY

• Modern city architecture reflects its diverse heritage. Baths, the Column of Julian, and the Temple of Augustus and Rome are Roman ruins. The citadel and cemetery are Byzantine ruins. The Seljuq-era square Alâeddin Mosque has one minaret near the walled fortress. There is also a lot of Ottoman architecture, such as the Hacı Bayram Cami, Mahmud Paşa market, and Kurşunlu Han (15th-century buildings now housing the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations). Today’s city has the massive Atatürk Mausoleum.
• Government is the city’s principal business, although Ankara is Turkey’s second-largest industrial metropolis after Istanbul. 
• Wine, beer, flour, sugar, macaroni, biscuits, milk, cement, terrazzo, construction materials, and tractor factories are well-established. Tourist and service businesses are booming.
• Ankara is a significant commercial and traffic intersection in Turkey. The city is on Anatolia’s primary east-west rail line. Esenboğa Airport, located in the northeast, offers international services.
• The city hosts the University of Ankara, Hacettepe University, and Middle East Technical University. The National Library, state theatre, and Presidential Symphony Orchestra are there.
• Several Ankara museums showcase Anatolian heritage in refurbished Ottoman buildings. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Ethnographic Museum show some of the most important heritage of Ankara.

ARCHAELOGICAL SITES AND LANDMARKS

• The oldest section of Ankara, the Citadel (Ankara Kalesi), lies atop a 978-meter hill. It hosted multiple civilizations over time. Galatians built the citadel atop a lava outcrop. 
• The Galatians expanded the castle and city walls to overlook the town, and the Romans finished the remainder—later, Byzantine and Seljuk Turk restorations and expansions. 
• Roman Ankara was an important city, and its Roman theater, Roman bath, Temple of Augustus, and Column of Julian remain. The column at Ulus commemorates the nephew of Constantine the Great and Rome’s last pagan ruler, Julian the Apostate, who visited in 362 C.E. 
• The Ulus quarter’s Haci Bayram Mosque is near Augustus’ Temple. An unknown architect built it in Seljuk style in the early fifteenth century. 
• The famous Ottoman architect Sinan renovated it in the sixteenth century and added Kütahya tiles in the eighteenth. The mosque honors Haci Bayram Veli, whose grave is near it, two years before his death (1427-1428). This mosque has 437 square meters on the ground level and 263 on the second.
• Historic structures and landmarks in Ankara are primarily around Ulus. A one-day journey can cover the most important historic sites. Even with less time, Anitkabir and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations are must-sees. The modern Turkish city, Ankara, has plenty to offer long-term visitors.
• In Ulus, Ankara Castle, Cengelhan-Rahmi Koc Museum, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ethnographic Museum, State Art and Sculpture Museum, Haci Bayram Mosque, Salt Ulus, and Roman Baths are all within 5 minutes’ walk.
• The historical Julius Caesar’s Gate (Ulubey Kervansaray) is a Roman-era road gate that dates back to the time of Emperor Augustus. The Atakule Tower is a well-known landmark in Ankara from which you can see the entire city in all directions. It features stores, restaurants, and a rotating restaurant. These landmarks make Ankara, Turkey, an exciting place to visit for anyone curious about Turkish history and culture.

Ankara Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ankara across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ankara. Ankara, known initially as Angora, is Turkey’s capital and second-largest city. The city sits at an average elevation of 850 meters in the country’s northwestern corner. It is home to 4,319,167 people (out of a total Province population of 5,153,000).

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Ankara Facts
2. Password
3. Word Detective
4. Unscramble Me
5. Google Search
6. An Interesting Convo
7. Thread
8. What’s On Your Mind
9. My Itinerary
10. #Ankara Adventure
11. The Political Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ankara?

Ankara is the capital city of Turkey. It is located in the central part of the country and is one of the most populous cities in Turkey.

What is the significance of Ankara in Turkish history?

Ankara holds historical importance as it played a pivotal role in the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) and was declared the capital of the newly founded Republic of Turkey in 1923. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, made Ankara the capital to distance the government from the Ottoman Empire’s legacy in Istanbul.

What are some of the notable landmarks in Ankara?

Ankara boasts several significant landmarks, including Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; the Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo; the Ankara Castle, which dates back to ancient times; and numerous museums, like the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the State Art and Sculpture Museum.

What is the climate like in Ankara?

Ankara experiences a continental climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Summers are usually warm and can be quite hot, while winters are cold and often see heavy snowfall.

How does Ankara’s role in modern Turkey differ from Istanbul’s?

Ankara serves as the political and administrative capital of Turkey, housing government institutions and foreign embassies, while Istanbul is the country’s cultural and economic center. Istanbul is known for its historical and cultural significance, whereas Ankara focuses on governance and the functioning of the state.

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