Ankara Castle

Ankara Castle is one of the symbols of Türkiye’s capital Ankara and has a history as old as the city itself. Castle has been used throughout history for defense and settlement purposes due to its strategic location and repaired and expanded by various civilizations. This building, consisting of two sections—an inner and an outer castle—stands on a hill 110 meters above the Hatip Çayı’s Dam Deresi in the center of Ankara.

History

The exact construction date of Ankara Kalesi is unknown. Although it is believed to have been built during the period when the Hittites maintained a military garrison in the city, this has not been confirmed by archaeological evidence. By the 2nd century BCE, when the Galatians settled in Ankara, the castle was already known to exist. During the Roman period, its walls were repaired by Emperor Caracalla in 217 CE, but at that time the castle walls were located lower, around Temple of Augustus. Between 222 and 260 CE, the castle was partially destroyed following Emperor Valerian’s defeat by the Persians; repairs by the Romans began in the second half of the 7th century. Emperor Constantine built the outer castle in 688, and Emperor Leo IV raised the inner castle walls by repairing them in 740. Emperors Nikephoros and Basil I also carried out restoration work on the castle in the 9th century.

During the Byzantine period, the castle was strengthened with the construction of inner walls in the 7th century but suffered damage from attacks and was restored again in the 9th century. Two years after the Battle of Manzikert, in 1073, Seljuks took control of the region and repaired and expanded the castle. Sultan I. Alaeddin Keykubad restored the castle, and II. Keykavus added extensions in 1249. The castle was briefly captured in 1101 by Crusader commander Raimond, then returned to the Seljuks in 1227, leaving an inscription documenting Seljuk repairs on its northwestern section. During the Ottoman period, the castle underwent no major repairs until 1832, when Ibrahim Pasha, son of Egypt’s governor Mehmet Ali, restored its walls. In these repairs, stone blocks, lintels, and channel stones from Roman monuments were reused as building materials.

Structural Features

Ankara Kalesi consists of two sections: an inner and an outer castle. The outer castle encircles the old city of Ankara in a heart shape and extends approximately 350 meters north-south and 180 meters west-east, featuring more than 20 towers. The inner castle covers an area of 43,000 square meters and has 42 mostly pentagonal towers with heights ranging from 14 to 16 meters. The inner castle has four levels and is constructed partly from Ankara stone and partly from collected stones; the lower sections are made of marble and basalt, while the upper sections are built of brick. The inner castle has two main gates: the Outer Door and Fortress Gates. An inscription from the Ilkhanids is located above Hisar Gate. The highest point of the castle is Akkale in the southeast corner (known as Alitaşı people).

The walls reflect construction techniques from different periods: the lower layers are Roman, while the upper layers belong to the Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods. The tooth-shaped towers and the tax inscription above Hisar Gate dedicated to Ilkhanid ruler Ebu Sait Bahadır Inn are notable features of the castle. Additionally, a tower built for the French in 1885 is located to the left of Hisar Gate.

Life and Architecture Within the Castle

Within the castle, numerous traditional Ankara houses from the Ottoman period remain. These houses in the Kaleiçi neighborhood were built in two or three stories using mudbrick and brick on narrow and uneven terrain. The lower floors, with thick walls and small windows, were designed for winter use, while the upper floors, with thinner walls and better ventilation, were intended for summer use. Wide eaves, overhanging balconies, and rooms known as “cihannüma” are distinctive features of these homes. Geometric decorations are prominent on wooden ceilings. Today, some of these houses are used as restaurant, shops, or museum.

The castle squares (Atpazarı, Samanpazarı, Koyunpazarı) have served throughout history as commercial and gathering centers and continue to fulfill this function today. Within the inner castle are Ankara’s oldest mosque, Alaaddin Camii (built during the Kılıçarslan period, Mesut), as well as Şemsettin, Müsafir Fakih, Work Duran, and Cenab-ı Ahmet mosques. In the outer castle are mosques reflecting the Ahi tradition: Ahi Şerafettin, Ahi Elvan, and Ahi Yakup mosques. Additionally, commercial and lodging structures such as Çengelhan, Çukurhan, Kurşunlu Han, Pilavoğlu Han, and Saffron Han lie within the castle walls; Çengelhan and Safran Han now house the Rahmi Ram Museum, while Kurşunlu Han is used as a Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

Historical Testimonies and the Present

The 17th-century traveler Evliya Çelebi described Ankara Kalesi as “a four-story white stone castle built on the summit of a high mountain.” He noted that the inner castle was surrounded by cliffs, its ascent was difficult, and it housed cannons, ammunition, and 600 house. The castle was enclosed by three layers of walls, with the outer walls ensuring the security of the entire city.

Today, Ankara Kalesi attracts visitors for both its historical significance and the city views it offers. The Eti Museum, established on Akkale in 1921 under Atatürk’s initiative, became the first museum of the Republic and operated until 1948. Although the castle contains secret passages and gates built for defense, these are now sealed. This structure, bearing witness to Ankara’s past, also draws attention for its neighborhood culture and architectural heritage.