Ankara Castle is a historical castle located in Ankara's Altındağ district. Although it is not known exactly when it was built, it is known that the castle existed at the beginning of the 5th century BC when the Galatians settled in Ankara. It has been repaired many times during the Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Dynasty and Ottomans. Ankara Castle is bigger than it looks from the outside. It also hosts various festivals every year.
Ankara Kalesi
Attractions
Monday
10:00–20:00
Tuesday
10:00–20:00
Wednesday 10:00–20:00
Thursday
10:00–20:00
Friday
10:00–20:00
Saturday
08:00–22:00
Sunday
08:00–21:00
The castle has lived through various periods in history. After the Roman occupation of Galatia at the beginning of the 2nd century BC, the city grew and overflowed the castle. Roman Emperor Caracalla repaired the walls of the castle in 217 BC. Between 222 - 260 BC, the castle was partially destroyed when Emperor Alexander Severus was defeated by the Persians. After the 2nd half of the 7th century, the Romans began to repair the castle. During the Byzantine period, Emperor II. Justinian had the outer castle built in 668 AD,
Emperor III. While repairing the castle walls, Leon raised the inner castle walls in 740. After that, Emperor Nikephoros I repaired this castle in 805 and Emperor Basil I in 869. The castle passed into the hands of the Seljuk Dynasty in 1073. Captured by the Crusaders in 1101, the castle was again under the rule of the Seljuk Dynasty in 1227. Alaeddin Keykubad I had the castle repaired again, and in 1249 II. Izzeddin Keykavus made new additions to the castle. During the Ottoman period, it was repaired by Kavalalı İbrahim Pasha in 1832, and the outer walls of the castle were expanded.
