Ankara Province

Archaeological sites in Ankara

Hidden Gems

Beyond Ankara's modern skyline lies a landscape shaped by Phrygian and Roman civilizations. This collection features Gordium, the ancient Phrygian capital, and the Great Tumulus of Midas. Within the city center, the Temple of Augustus preserves the Res Gestae Divi Augusti inscription, while the nearby Roman Baths showcase 3rd-century engineering. Further afield, the rock-cut reliefs of Gavurkale and the massive Hacıtuğrul settlement mound offer insights into the region's Iron Age and Hittite history.

Hidden Gems — Map

A

Gordium

Gordion was the capital city of ancient Phrygia. It was located at the site of modern Yassıhüyük, about 70–80 km southwest of Ankara, in…

B

Temple of Augustus

The Temple of Augustus and Rome is an augusteum located in the Altındağ district of Ankara. It is thought to have been built around 25–20 AD.

C

Roman Baths

Constructed in the 3rd century AD under Emperor Caracalla, this complex includes a large palaestra and a bathhouse dedicated to Asclepius. The site reveals the typical Roman layout of frigidarium, tepidarium, and caldarium sections.

D

Gavurkale

Gavur Castle, formerly known as Ghiaour and Giaour castle, all meaning infidel's castle, is a castle located in the Dereköy neighborhood of…

E

Burial mound of Midas

Visit the ruins of a place where, according to a legend, Alexander the Great dispatched the Gordian Knot with a sword.

F

Hacıtuğrul Höyüğü

A large Phrygian settlement mound dating to the 8th century BC, located on the Ankara-Polatlı highway. Archaeological excavations have uncovered significant Iron Age remains, indicating it was likely a major administrative or military center.

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