Ulucanlar Prison Museum

Ulucanlar Prison Museum is the restored version of Ulucanlar Prison, which was Türkiye’s first enclosed prison and opened for service in 1925. The building, located in the Altındağ district of Ankara, housed prisoners from various criminal backgrounds as well as individuals detained for political, ideological, and cultural reasons over its 81 years of operation. After closing in 2006, the prison was restored according to its original design and opened to the public in 2011 as the Ulucanlar Prison Museum. This museum serves as a historical site that bears witness to Türkiye’s political, social, and cultural structure.

Foundation and Historical Process

The foundation of Ulucanlar Prison was laid in 1924, and it began operations in 1925 under the name Cebeci Detention Center. From its inception, the institution was known by various names during different periods: first Cebeci General Prison, then Ankara Prison, Ankara Cebeci Civil Prison, Ankara Central Enclosed Prison, and finally Ulucanlar Prison.

Designed as one of the earliest examples of modern penal institutions under the security and justice policies of its time, the prison’s location was chosen far from the city center in an area suitable for agricultural activity, based on the belief that prisoners could be rehabilitated through labor. In the years following its opening, it became a center for those convicted of crimes committed in Ankara and its surroundings as well as political offenses. From 1925 to 2006, the prison operated continuously, witnessing numerous executions, judicial proceedings, and housing many prominent figures across different eras.

After its closure in 2006, inmates were transferred to Sincan Prison; in 2009 the building was handed over to Altındağ Municipality. In the same year, the building complex and its surroundings were registered by the Council for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage as a “cultural heritage site requiring protection.” The restoration work initiated in 2009 was carried out using archival records and testimonies documenting prison life during different periods. The aim was to preserve the building’s historical identity while documenting prison life. Covering an area of 16,000 square meters, the museum has been transformed into a memory space exhibiting artifacts, documents, and photographs from various eras.

Former State of Ulucanlar Prison Museum (Altındağ Municipality)

The visitor route begins at the prison’s main entrance, guiding visitors from the entrance to the inner courtyard and then to the cell blocks. The prison’s layout and sections have been reorganized to reflect the conditions of the era, and the exhibition design presents the institution’s history in chronological order. The restoration process was conducted faithfully to the original structure, renewing enclosed areas, cell blocks, courtyards, and execution spaces while preserving their historical fabric. Ulucanlar Prison opened as a museum on 15 June 2011.

Interior of Ulucanlar Prison Museum (Altındağ Municipality)

Architectural Features

Ulucanlar Prison embodies the simple and functional architectural style characteristic of early Republican public buildings. The complex is built on a rectangular plan enclosed by high walls. Inner courtyards, main corridors, and cell blocks follow a defined symmetry. During restoration, the original layout was preserved; wall textures, doors, bars, floor stones, and ceiling arrangements were repaired to match their original state. The prison complex includes cell blocks, individual cells, administrative buildings, a bathhouse, a kitchen, an execution area, visiting rooms, and open courtyards. These sections have been refunctionalized within a chronological and thematic framework during the conversion into a museum.

Sections and Visit Stops

Upon entering the prison complex through the main gate, visitors first reach the section known as the “Hilton Cell Block.” This section, composed of cells 9 and 10, housed many prominent figures from literature and intellectual life. Documents indicate that names such as Bülent Ecevit and Necip Fazıl Kısakürek were detained here.

Interior of Ulucanlar Prison Museum (Türkiye Culture Portal)

Immediately adjacent to the Hilton Cell Block are single-person cells known as “Müteferrika.” These cells held detainees whose court rulings had not yet become final, those serving disciplinary punishment, or individuals required to be separated from other prisoners. The courtyards beside the cell blocks have been arranged as open-air exhibitions, displaying photographs, documents, and materials reflecting testimonies from the era.

Ulucanlar Prison Museum Disciplinary Cell (Altındağ Municipality)

Another key stop on the tour consists of cell blocks containing information, documents, and personal belongings of famous prisoners. These sections serve as an archive on the prison’s history, presenting documents collected through research in chronological order. The museum also includes a library containing publications from various periods, court records, conviction documents, and first editions of rare works.

Exhibition Area of Ulucanlar Prison Museum (Altındağ Municipality)

The prison’s bathhouse has also been restored and opened to visitors. The bathhouse is not merely a space for prisoners’ hygiene but has been designed as a symbolic space representing the boundary between freedom and captivity. An art gallery is also located within the main building and currently hosts various exhibitions and events.

Galows and Execution Area

The gallows where executions were carried out in the prison are displayed in the museum grounds. Documents indicate that 18 individuals were executed on this gallows. It is known that executions in the past were conducted in front of a tree known as “Ulu Kavak.” Today, the gallows has been relocated behind this tree and surrounded by iron railings. In 2004, a sign was added to the gallows to emphasize that the death penalty has been abolished in Türkiye.

Another feature near the gallows is the “Memorial Tree.” Small aluminum plaques bearing the names and photographs of famous individuals who were imprisoned in the facility are attached to this tree. The Memorial Tree is regarded as a silent symbol of the historical events and personal stories that unfolded within the prison.

Famous Prisoners

Ulucanlar Prison housed many politicians, journalists, writers, and poets who shaped the direction of Türkiye's recent history. Among the documented names are Bülent Ecevit, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, Deniz Gezmiş, Yılmaz Güney, and Nazım Hikmet.

Famous Prisoners (Altındağ Municipality)

Personal belongings, documents, and photographs of these notable individuals are exhibited in dedicated sections within the museum.

Artifacts Exhibited Belonging to Famous Prisoners (Altındağ Municipality)

Museum and Dark Tourism

Ulucanlar Prison Museum is one of the examples of dark tourism, also known in Türkiye as “hüzün turizmi” (melancholy tourism), and is referred to in international literature as “dark tourism.” The dramatic events, executions, and stories of famous prisoners have transformed the prison into both a historical and an emotional site of visitation.

The museum is primarily visited by domestic tourists but has been organized with reference to similar dark tourism sites abroad. It also aims to raise historical awareness among visitors through various artistic events and educational programs. Student visits and educational activities demonstrate that the museum fulfills not only a tourist but also a cultural and educational function.