Ankara attractions: how to choose your first sights
Anıtkabir sits on Anıttepe Hill and draws the most interest, yet the rest of Ankara's sights sit within easy reach of one another: Kocatepe Mosque stands a short walk from Kızılay Square, while the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Roman Baths keep company in old Ankara, below the castle.
Atatürk's mausoleum is entered free and asks for 1.5 to 3 hours, including the 262-metre lion-lined approach and the museum of his belongings. Kocatepe, the city's biggest mosque, also costs nothing and takes an hour or two, best outside prayer times and with modest dress.
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations fills two Ottoman buildings in Atpazarı with finds laid out chronologically, from stone tools to the İnandık vase, so set aside 2 to 3 hours for the uphill climb through the bazaar quarter on uneven paving. The Roman Baths in Altındağ are an open-air spread of excavated foundations near the Hacı Bayram mosque, with an entry fee charged, best seen for their readable floor plan in dry weather.
| Place | Time to allow | Cost | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anıtkabir, Ankara | 1.5-3 hours | free entry; some extras may charge | Anıttepe Hill, Çankaya |
| Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara | 1-2 hours | free admission | Kocatepe quarter, Çankaya |
| Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara | 2-3 hours | – | Atpazarı, Ulus |
| Roman Baths of Ankara | 1-2 hours | Paid entry | Hacı Bayram, Çankırı Caddesi No:43, Altındağ |
Ankara attraction guides
Anıtkabir, Ankara: Visiting Atatürk's Mausoleum
Atatürk's mausoleum on Anıttepe Hill, entered free, with a 262-metre lion-lined approach, a vast ceremonial square and a museum of his belongings and War of Independence displays. Hours shorten by season, and last entry comes well before closing.
1.5-3 hours · free entry; some extras may charge · Best for families and history-minded visitors
Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara: What to See and How Long to Allow
Ankara's biggest mosque, finished in 1987 in Ottoman style on rising ground in Çankaya, a short walk from Kızılay Square. Allow an hour or two, dress modestly, and come outside prayer times so you can look around without disturbing worshippers.
1-2 hours · free admission · Best for central sight, architecture, photography
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara: What to See
Two Ottoman buildings below Ankara Castle hold Anatolian finds laid out in chronological order, from stone tools to the İnandık vase and a Hittite queen's letter. The climb up through the bazaar quarter is uphill on uneven paving.
2-3 hours · Best for archaeology and history lovers
Roman Baths of Ankara: Visiting the Roma Hamamı Ruins
An open-air spread of excavated Roman bath foundations in Altındağ, close to the Hacı Bayram mosque. Come for the readable floor plan and the Phrygian layers beneath it; expect bare stone and sun, not a roofed museum.
1-2 hours · Paid entry · Best for Roman history walkers in old Ankara
Ankara sights that cost nothing to enter
Anıtkabir on Anıttepe Hill has free entry, though some extras may charge, and last entry falls well before closing, with hours that shorten by season. Kocatepe Mosque has free admission and sits a short walk from Kızılay Square.
Indoor shelter and dry-day ruins in Ankara
Kocatepe Mosque is an indoor sight that suits an hour or two whatever the sky is doing. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations mixes inside and out, with two Ottoman buildings holding the chronological displays.
The Roman Baths are an outdoor spread of bare stone with no roof over it, so save them for a dry day and keep in mind the uphill, uneven paving on the climb through the bazaar quarter to the museum.