Ankara is the cosmopolitan capital of Turkey. It sits in the central Anatolia region of the nation and is famous as a center for the performing arts. Ankara has a population of almost 5.2 million people, which makes it recognized as the second-largest city in the country after Istanbul.
The population growth in this city has increased property development to a great extent. Many other interesting facts about Ankara can amaze you 😊.
So, in this article, we will go through some interesting facts about the capital city of Turkey, Ankara.
Ankara Facts Discover the Fascinating World of Turkey
The early history of the city of Ankara and its developments
The earliest residential localities in and around the Ankara city center are a vital part of the Hattic civilization 🏛️, which took place during the Bronze Age and was eventually taken in by the Indo-European Hittites between 2000 and 1700 BC 🏞️.
Starting around 1000 BC, the city expanded significantly under the Phrygians and encountered a vital expansion following a mass migration from Gordion. It followed an earthquake that seriously damaged that city around that time 🌋.
The origin of the name of the city
The meaning of the name Ankara has changed over time. It has been connected to the Hittite cult culture center Ankuwa, although that is a debated topic. The city 🌆 is called Kyra (lit “anchor”) in Greek and Ancyra in Latin in ancient and medieval times. Moreover, the Galatian Celtic name was a similar variation.
After the Seljuk Turks’ territorial expansion in 1073, the city became famous as Angora in multiple European languages. However, it was not until 1930 that the city’s official name became “Ankara” under the Turkish Portal Service Law.
Once, Ankara was occupied by a Celtic group.
In 278 BC, the city of Ankara was populated by the Galatians. The Celtic community was the first to make the city one of their main tribal hubs, the Tectosages tribe’s head office.
Some other centers of Trocmi tribes included Pessinus, known today as Ballhisar, and Tavium, east of Ankara, for the Tolistobogii tribe 🏰.
It is a safe city with a problem with high road safety.
The city of Ankara is famous for its meager crime rate, making it popular as one of the safest regions in Turkey and even Europe. However, road safety is still a genuine concern, as traffic accidents increase yearly 🚦.
The number of fatalities because of road accidents in the city of Ankara is higher than the national average, making it a priority for the local authorities to address this problem.
The population of Ankara has soared 86 years in a Row.
In 1927, Ankara was small, with a population of only 75,000. However, after 86 years, the people of the Turkish capital has increased to an impressive 5,045,083 📈.
This incredible growth proves the city’s development and success over the years 💪. It even serves as a reflection of the increasing importance of Ankara.
Know many historical facts by exploring the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
In Ankara, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is a must-explore for anyone who wishes to know the region’s history. Thus, the museum was established in 1921 and houses important artifacts from the second half of the first millennium BC 🗿. Some of those artifacts include pottery, sculptures, and jewelry.
In 1997, the museum was awarded the title of ‘European Museum of the Year’ by Switzerland, as it is a testament to its role in preserving the history of this region 🏆.
It is an ancient city with a long history.
The city of Ankara has a long history, dating back to the Bronze Age 🏛️. At that time, it was a part of the Hattic civilization. As per the Phrygian tradition, Ankara city was founded by King Midas and got the name “Ancyra.”
Over the centuries, the city has been a prominent political and cultural center, vital to the area’s development. Today, the city of Ankara is modern and vibrant and is even known as Turkey’s capital. However, its roots remain planted in its exciting past 🌆. 🌳
The Alaeddin Mosque is a well-known destination in Ankara.
Located in Ankara, the Alaeddin Mosque is famous as the oldest mosque 🕌 in the city. It was built in 1178 AD or AH 574 by a prince of an Anatolian Seljuk Sultan.
This exciting structure stood for many decades and is still famous as a popular destination for visitors to the city today.
This impressive mosque 🕌 is famous for its interesting structure, including its domed roof and minarets, and serves as a reminder of the rich history of this city.
The capital city of Turkey has a well-known goat breed.
Originating in the Turkish capital of Ankara, the Angora goat 🐐 was featured on the back part of the Turkish 50 banknote from 1938 to 1952.
This goat breed is famous for its soft, long, and silky fur, which is even used to make different textiles, including clothing. This goat is native to Ankara and has been a vital part of the culture of this city for centuries.
The urban ropeway of Ankara
In 2014, Ankara turned out to be a place to have the most extensive urban ropeway on the entire Eurasian continent, with a 10-passenger gondola life. This unique engineering product can transport 🏙️ almost ten persons at a time, offering an exciting and unique method to explore the city.
The ropeway is the perfect way to enjoy the sights of Ankara, offering captivating views 👀 of the cityscape and its nearby areas.
Here you will get to see the Turkish Angora cats.
The city of Angora is home to one of the world’s natural, oldest cat breeds 🐱, called the Turkish Angora. This unique cat breed has been documented as far back as the 1600s. These are famous for their blue eyes and silky, long white fur.
This cat breed is brilliant and famous for its affectionate and playful nature. These interesting cats are well-known for their grace and agility and are often used in agility competitions.
Ankara is an industrial city in Turkey.
Ankara is also known as the most significant industrial city in Turkey 🏭. However, it is also the second most potent industrial city after Istanbul.
Several well-established factories produce beer, wine, sugar, flour, biscuits, cement, milk, macaroni products, tractors, terrazzo, and construction materials. In this city, tourism and business industries are increasing fast.
Here necessary expansion happened under the Greeks of Pontos.
A notable expansion took place here under the Greeks of Pontos. They arrived about 300 BC and established this place as a trade center for business and commercial advancements among the Crimea and the Black Sea ports to the north, Armenia, Georgia, and Persia to the east, and Cyprus, Assyria, and Lebanon to the south 🌍.
By that time, the city got its name, which has been following modifications to offer the current term of Ankara.
The city faced more developments under Persian rule.
Although Lydian and Persian rule succeeded Phrygian rule, the personality of the Phrygian lower classes stayed, as shown by tombstones from the Roman period of later times. The law of the Persians lasted until Alexander the Great defeated them and conquered the city in 333 BC 🏛️.
He traveled to Ankara from Gordion and stayed for some time after he died in 323 BC; Ankara and its environs fell under the control of Antigonus.
Here you will see some lovely places to enjoy shopping.
Many visitors to Ankara often visit the old shops 🛒 on Kırkçılar Yokuşu near Ulus. They can get various things at low prices, such as hand-woven carpets, traditional fabrics, and even leather products.
Another place is Bakırcılar Çarşısı or Bazaar of Coppersmiths, where tourists can buy many interesting things other than copper, such as carpets, jewelry 💍, antiques, costumes, and embroidery.
Moreover, many shops sell a large selection of fresh, dried fruits 🍇, spices, nuts, and other produce up the hill to the castle gate.
The Armada Shopping Mall and its anchor monument
You can see the Armada Shopping Mall with an anchor logo; even a large anchor ⚓ monument is placed at its entrance. This monument refers to the ancient Greek name of the city, Ankyra, meaning anchor.
Similarly, the anchor monument is associated with the Spanish name of the mall, Armada, meaning naval fleet. With the westward expansion of Ankara in the 1970s, many mini-cities and suburban-style advancements sprouted up along the highway called the Eskişehir Road.
A few famous universities in Ankara
The city of Ankara is home to some notable universities of the country, such as the Hacettepe University (founded in 1967), the University of Ankara (founded in 1946), and also the Middle East Technical University (1956) 🎓.
Also, other famous places like the State Theater, the National Library, and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra are located here.
So, Ankara is a Turkish city with fascinating history, interesting people, rich culture, attractive architecture, exciting places, and many more.
At the end of this article, we learned 17 interesting facts that provide us with a clear picture of this unique Turkish city, Ankara. You can see our website if you want to know some additional points.
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