The city has been continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age. The very fine Museum of Anatolian Civilizations details the ebb and flow of cultures that have passed through the area, from the Hittites, the Phrygians, Lydians and Persians to the Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks and Ottomans. A small provincial town until Kemal Ataturk named it the capital of the new Republic on October 13, 1923, Ankara developed very quickly. It is the only city in Turkey with an urban development plan dating back to the 1930s. Ataturk's Mausoleum dominates the modern part of Ankara. The imposing limestone structure, completed in 1953, represents a fusion of ancient and modern architectural concepts.
In addition to the numerous mosques, museums and recreational areas, visitors enjoy touring the Citadel and browsing through the old shops in Cikricilar Yokusu near the Ulus area. On the street of Bakircilar Carsisi, you can find many interesting old and new items: copper objects, jewelry, carpets, costumes, antiquities and embroidery. In Cankaya, the Atakule Tower, 125 meters tall, offers a magnificent view of the city.