AnkaraCapital
Turkey · Country profile
Ankara is the capital of Turkey, the modern, disciplined administrative heart of the state that Ataturk built, a city of the wide boulevards, the government quarter, the museums and the grand mausoleum that stands on its hill above the centre. The city grew from the small provincial town of the Anatolian plain into the capital after the founding of the republic, and its history runs from the ancient citadel and the Roman remains of the old town through the confident new quarters of the twentieth century. The city is less touristy than the great historic capitals of the country, but its museums, its parks and its serious, lived-in character give it a real depth of its own, and its position at the heart of the Anatolian plain makes it the crossroads of the whole country.
About Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey. The city's documented population is around 5,803,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Turkish Lira (TRY) and Turkish is spoken; the dialling code is +90.
The Mausoleum of the Founder, the Citadel and the Capital of the Republic
Ankara is the orderly, modern capital of the republic, a city of wide avenues, government buildings and a serious, administrative rhythm quite different from the tourist cities of the country. The great monument of the founder, the mausoleum on its hill, and the museums of the capital anchor the visitor circuit, while the old citadel quarter on its mound above the river holds the oldest layers of the town. The city is calm, safe and genuinely liveable, and it rewards the visitor who looks past the ministry buildings to the cafes, the galleries and the everyday life of the Anatolian capital. It is also the practical base for the wider region of the central plateau.
The Plateau Climate, the Lira and the Rail Hub of the Anatolian Plain
The country of the capital is the high, dry plateau of central Anatolia, with cold, snowy winters and hot summers and the spring and the autumn the most comfortable seasons. The mausoleum of the founder and the museums of the city are the essential visits, and the citadel quarter and the Roman remains of the old town fill out the historic circuit. The Turkish lira is the currency, the Turkish is the language and the card works widely, though the cash helps at the markets. The city is safe, clean and easy to get around, with the metro and the buses covering the sprawl, and it is an important rail and road hub of the whole country.
The Museum of the Anatolian Civilisations, the Old Quarter and the Parks
The mausoleum of the founder, the monumental complex of the national shrine, is the essential visit of the capital, part state museum, part national shrine, and its hill gives the views over the whole city. The museum of the Anatolian civilisations, one of the great archaeological museums of the region, holds the treasures of the whole prehistoric and the Hittite world. The old citadel of the city, the restored quarter of the stone houses on the mound, holds the craft shops and the restaurants of the old Ankara, and the modern avenues, with their cafes, their parks and their shopping street of the centre, carry the everyday life. The city is green, serious and richly layered.
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- Country
- Turkey
- Population
- 5,803,000
- Coordinates
- 39.9208, 32.8540
- Capital
- Ankara
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Turkish Lira (TRY)
- Languages
- Turkish
- Calling code
- +90
- Country code
- TR
Entry requirements for Turkey
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Turkey for tourism.
Getting to Ankara
The nearest airports we list:
Cities in Turkey
Other cities we cover in Turkey:
Frequently asked questions
Is Ankara the capital of Turkey?
Yes — Ankara is the capital of Turkey.
What currency do I need in Ankara?
The local currency is the Turkish Lira (TRY). Languages spoken in Turkey include Turkish.
What is the dialling code for Turkey?
The international dialling code for Turkey is +90.
Which airport is nearest to Ankara?
The nearest airport we list is Istanbul Airport (IST), about 378 km away.
How far is Ankara from the nearest airport?
Ankara is about 378 km from Istanbul Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Turkey?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Morocco, Russia, Ukraine and United States currently enter Turkey visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Ankara? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.