Keçiören (District)

Keçiören is one of the largest and greenest districts of the capital Ankara. Once known for its pristine air, fruit orchards, and famous grape vineyards, this beautiful place has now transformed into a vast city where children joyfully play in parks and traces of history remain visible. Let us explore this historic gateway of Ankara together!

Many entertaining stories are told about the origin of the name Keçiören. According to the most well-known tale, this area was once a pasture for the world-famous Ankara Goats. It is said that the name derives from the combination of “Keçi,” meaning goat, and “Ören,” an old term for a settlement.

Another story relates to the famous vineyards here. The grapes grown in this region used to ripen later than those in other areas, so people referred to it as “Geç veren”, meaning “late yielding,” which eventually evolved into Keçiören. Additionally, in old Turkish documents, the area was recorded as “Kiçiviran”, meaning “small place.”

Keçiören has been a place where children and families have lived since ancient times. Even today, you can see rock tombs left behind by the Phrygians who lived here thousands of years ago near the Keçiören Waterfall.

The Ak Köprü, built during the Seljuk period and spanning the Çubuk Creek, is a gift from history. Moreover, Ottoman Sultan Yıldırım Beyazıt rested his army in the Kalaba neighborhood of Keçiören before a major battle.

^{Representative image of Keçiören (Generated by artificial intelligence)}

In the past, Ankara residents would visit vineyard houses in Keçiören to escape the summer heat. Although modern parks and buildings now stand where those old vineyards once were, there are still many places to explore:

• Meteorology Museum: You can view historical weather measuring instruments and visit Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s study room.
• Keçiören Waterfall: Listen to the sound of its massive flowing waters and take a walk in the vast park beside it.
• Historic Vineyard Houses: See the old Ankara homes where famous figures such as Vehbi Koç lived and learn how people lived in the past.