Ankara—The Heart of Türkiye Across Millennia

Nestled within the vast Anatolian plateau, Ankara is like a pulsating amber, capturing the bronze luster of the Hittite Empire, the majestic stone columns of the Roman Empire, and the vibrant heartbeat of modern Türkiye. This "Heart of Türkiye" is not only the resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic, but also an unfading beacon in the long river of civilization. 1. Anıtkabir (Atatürk's Mausoleum) This magnificent marble mausoleum stands on the highest point of the city, overlooking Ankara's changing days and nights. Atatürk's bronze statue stands solemnly, and the museum within the mausoleum displays relics and manuscripts, each piece narrating the birth pangs and glory of modern Türkiye. 2. Museum of Anatolian Civilizations Housed in a 15th-century Ottoman marketplace building, this treasure trove of civilizations displays tens of thousands of artifacts from the Paleolithic Age to the Byzantine period. The Hittite sphinx, the Bronze Age sun disc, and the gold artifacts from the Phrygian royal tombs tell the story of the millennia-old civilization of the Anatolian plateau. In the dappled light of the exhibition halls, you can almost hear the echoes of ancient camel caravans. 3. Ankara Castle (Ankara Kalesi) This ancient fortress, originally built during the Roman period, outlines Ankara's time-worn contours with its massive stone walls. Climbing to the top of the castle, ochre-red roofs stretch out below, and the minarets of mosques pierce the sky in the distance. At dusk, the setting sun gilds the walls, and the wildflowers and stray cats among the ruins soften the hard edges of history. 4. Atakule As a modern totem of Ankara, this 125-meter-high observation tower takes you to the clouds in a panoramic elevator. Beneath the glass dome, the entire city unfolds like a chessboard—the solemnity of Anıtkabir, the blue tiles of the Kocatepe Mosque, and the traffic on Atatürk Boulevard weave together a dialogue between tradition and modernity. 5. Roman Theatre and Temple of Augustus Scattered throughout the old town of Ulus, the Roman ruins are fragments of time's gifts. The inscription wall of the Temple of Augustus is engraved with the glorious achievements of the Roman Empire, while the remnants of the Roman Theatre still evoke the hustle and bustle of plays and gladiatorial combats. The wind whispers through the crevices of the stone columns, carrying the sighs of the empire into the distance. In Ankara, every stone is a footnote to history, and every corner is a reunion with civilization. As twilight envelops the tiled dome of the Kocatepe Mosque, and the call to prayer from the minaret pierces the sky, you will understand: this is not only the geographical center but also the home of Türkiye's soul.