Introduction to Ankara

Unlike Istanbul, vulnerable for centuries to neighboring countries with imperialistic motives, Ankara lies deep within the heartland, protected and insulated from uninvited guests. Atatürk deliberately chose Ankara for his new republic; while Istanbul was the seat of an imperial and dissolute empire, he saw Ankara as the clean-slate capital of an entirely new Turkish state. In the 80 years since Atatürk rode in on a dirt road and literally lifted Ankara out of the ashes, the city has established itself as the political and cultural center of Turkey. Ankara is almost exclusively geared toward sustaining a wide-ranging population of foreign ambassadors, visiting dignitaries, local politicians, and politically minded business enterprises. If you're looking for a good English pub, then you've come to the right place. It also boasts a number of prestigious universities and technical colleges, as well as the largest library in the country. Ankara is a center for opera, ballet, jazz, and modern dance, and is home of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, the State Theatre, and the State Opera and Ballet.

But while Ankara buzzes with the everyday business of keeping house, you can't compare Ankara to cities like Washington, D.C., or London, even if the brilliant Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is worth a special detour. It's not that there's nothing to do here: The short list of worthy monuments and museums includes Atatürk's mausoleum, a handful of Roman-era sites, and as mentioned before, the archaeological museum. There's a predictable concentration of statues of Atatürk, and dotting the parks and avenues are monuments to inspire a strong sense of nationalism. The Victory Monument, in Ulus Square, honors the heroes of the War of Independence, while the Monument to a Secure and Confident Future, in Güvenlik Park, reminds Turks to "be proud, work hard, and have self-confidence." The Hatti Monument, an oversize replica of a bronze solar disc, is hard to miss on Sihhiye Square and stands as a constant reminder of the country's Anatolian roots. If none of this sounds too convincing for a stopover in the country's capital, I have to admit that the choice of whether to stop here is a dilemma borne by many. Most people choose to skip Ankara in favor of a direct transfer to Cappadocia, but with plans for a fast train from Istanbul to Ankara in the works (which will cut travel time down to just 3 hours), you should stop at least for a visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Atatürk Mausoleum, and a stroll in and around the ancient citadel.