The older city of Ancyra
Ankara's history precedes the republic. In the Hellenistic period it was associated with the Galatian communities; under Rome, Ancyra became an important centre of the province of Galatia. Byzantine, Turkish and Ottoman phases added further layers to its urban fabric.
In Ulus, the Temple of Augustus stands beside Hacı Bayram Mosque. The temple preserves Latin and Greek copies of Augustus's Res Gestae, while surrounding buildings reflect Ottoman and early republican development. These remains belong to a city whose boundaries changed over time.
From movement headquarters to capital
The railway reached Ankara in the late nineteenth century, improving its connections. Kemal and the representative committee arrived on 27 December 1919. The Grand National Assembly opened there on 23 April 1920, making the city a centre of wartime political decisions.
Ankara became the capital on 13 October 1923, preceding the formal proclamation of the republic later that month. That date records a change in political status rather than the foundation of the much older city.
Building a republican capital
Capital construction brought ministries, parliamentary facilities, housing and cultural institutions. Carl Christoph Lörcher prepared plans in 1924–25; an international competition followed in 1927, and Hermann Jansen's planning guided development in the 1930 s.
Growth extended from Ulus towards Kızılay and Çankaya along Atatürk Boulevard. Government buildings, commercial areas, squares and parks shaped the new capital, while the Uybadın–Yücel plan of 1954 addressed a later stage of expansion.
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