If you love art with a touch of glitz and glamour then you’ll surely enjoy a trip to Ankara, Turkey. This lovely city is the center of performing arts in the Anatolia Region. The cosmopolitan city is known for its state opera and ballet. They also have their own Presidential Symphony Orchestra and several national theaters that can give art enthusiasts quality shows every night. Antara, Turkey, shines bright with its oath to keep the arts alive. But there are other things to explore when you visit this city. Check out the things to do in Ankara that you should definitely watch out for. Scroll down to find out more.
1. Visit Ankara Castle
Ankara Castle is simply a marvelous sight. It’s one of Turkey’s ancient sights and no one really knows when or how it was built. It overlooks the whole city complete with its old houses. The exterior has 20 towers and takes around 43 kilometers (26 miles) to complete. There are also inscriptions of the Seljuk Era found inside the interior of the castle. Ankara Castle has been very popular with many tourists. The glamorous and historical design is a staple of everyone’s Instagram feed when they visit the city. The Ankara Castle has seen Turkey through its history so it’s definitely a must to visit this landmark.
Ankara Castle
Address: Kale, 06240 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
Website: Ankara Castle
Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)
Price: Free
2. View modern art at CerModern
As mentioned, Anakara is the capital of Turkey’s art and leisure. CerModern is one of the many museums that can be found in the city. It is a former railway shop that has transformed into an avant-garde museum that features modern art from both local and international artists. The main focus of the museum is to not give backdrops to people who want to keep their Instagram feed clean and aesthetically pleasing. Instead, it wants to feature art that educates the people. Seeing the shows and the exhibits in this wonderful museum is truly an experience.
CerModern
Address: Anafartalar, Altınsoy Cd. No:3, 06101 Sıhhıye / Altındağ/Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
Website: CerModern
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 8pm (closed on Monday)
Price: 4 USD
3. Explore the immersive Altinkoy Open Air Museum
Open-air museums are such a novelty. This type of museum will allow visitors to fully experience the art and the artifacts that it showcases outside the often-suffocating four walls of a traditional museum. Altinkoy Open Air Museum allows its visitors to experience the traditional Anatolian houses, craft & agriculture exhibits & farm animals. It will give guests a chance to get a glimpse of the Ankara life as it was 100 years ago. Aside from the immersive experience, the museum also offers tranquility that will surely let you get away from the real world in no time.
Altinkoy Open Air Museum
Address: Beşikkaya, 2044/1. Sk., 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
Website: Altinkoy Open Air Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 11:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 2 USD
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4. Take a tour of State Art and Sculpture Museum
Art is so important in Ankara that it has its own national museum built for its beloved sculptures. State Art and Sculpture Museum is a sneak peek of the delightful Turkish sculptures and designs from the past and future. Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu designed the gorgeous building of the museum back in 1927. Spend the whole day marveling at the beautiful design of the museum, its large collection of Turkish arts, both old and new. When you are done taking photos and educating yourself, you can take a little break at the museum café which serves delightful desserts and coffee.
State Art and Sculpture Museum
Address: Hacettepe, Türkocağı Sk., 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
Website: State Art and Sculpture Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 9am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 10 USD
5. Check out amazing relics at Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is an iconic museum that features Turkey’s different civilizations. The museum includes a look at many important stages of Turkish life. This includes the Palaeolithic Age, Neolithic Age, Old Bronze Age, and Late Hittites. Each exhibit is represented by artifacts, artworks, paintings and more. Other features of this museum are the old Ottoman Mahmut Paşa bazaar storage building and the iconic Kurşunlu Han. The beautifully created museum is a tour de force to those who want to learn more about the history of Turkey. The wonderful architecture of the old museum is a plus too.
11-Days Classics of Turkey Tour From Istanbul -First Class
Duration: 11 days
6. Visit the president's tomb at Anıtkabir (from USD 235.0)
Another iconic museum in the capital of Turkey is Anıtkabir. This is a museum dedicated to Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The president’s tomb can be found inside the museum. To create Anıtkabir, 48 architects and designers competed to design the whole exterior. It was Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Ahmet Orhan Arda who won the competition. Today, Antikabir features the country’s masterpieces. Its design is also a notable landmark in Turkish architecture. Learn about the history of Turkey at this museum.
Private Tour: Ankara Sightseeing
Duration: 4 hours
7. Learn about transport history at Rahmi M. Koc Museum Ankara (from USD 132.0)
As we have mentioned, Ankara is very extra in its museums. They even have a technological museum and that’s the Rahmi M. Koc Museum Ankara. This museum is the one and only industrial museum in Ankara. It aims to educate people about the history of Transport, Industry and Communications of Ankara. Fans of the steampunk genre will love the exhibits filled with boats and vehicles from Turkey’s colorful past. It contains relics from science, communication, and maritime of the city. A visit to this museum is a unique look at Turkey and its contributions to society.
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Duration: 1 to 11 days
8. Venture to Ulucanlar Prison Museum
Another unique museum in Ankara is Ulucanlar Prison Museum. Yes, there’s a prison museum in Turkey. The museum opened in 2011 and was a former military depot facility. The facility has a lot of notable inmates both political and criminal. Altındağ Municipality restored the prison for $6.7 million. It features documents relating to the 81 years of running of the prison. It features exhibits about the isolation cells for high profile criminals, wax sculptures of inmates, and many more. You can also see ancient torture devices and a Turkish bath for prisoners located in the grand yard. The museum is perfect for those who are fascinated by true crime and history.
Ulucanlar Prison Museum
Address: Şükriye Mahallesi, Ulucanlar Cd. No:63, 06030 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
Website: Ulucanlar Prison Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 5 USD
A fascinating place to visit
Ankara is, no doubt, a fascinating place to visit in, the equally, fascinating country. Get to delve into the rich history of this area and find out what makes the city tick. As you may have noticed, there’s no shortage of museums and historic sites to explore. And if you love the tranquility of nature, then there’s enough of that as well. So, start planning your trip and use this article as your guide when you do land in Ankara.
In light of the February 2023 earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria, Trip101 urges you to be apprised of the latest news if you have any plans to travel to Eastern Turkey. Other parts of the country remain open to travelers.
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