Ankara Castle: A Historic Fortress in Turkey
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4.4
Popularity: Very High
Country: Turkey
Civilization: Byzantine, Medieval Islamic
Site type: Military
Remains: Citadel
History
Ankara Castle is located in the Altındağ district of Ankara, Turkey. Its origins reach back to early civilizations in the region, with the earliest known foundations possibly established by the Phrygians during the 8th century BCE.
In the 3rd century BCE, the site became part of a Celtic settlement known as the Galatian city, which was later reconstructed following Galatian control in 278 BCE. This early fortification saw significant redevelopment under Roman influence, particularly during Emperor Caracalla’s reign in 217 CE. Later in the 3rd century, the castle suffered damage linked to Roman military defeats against Persian forces between 222 and 260 CE.
The fortress as largely seen today was built mainly in the 7th century CE after the Persian conquest and near destruction of Ankara around 622 CE. Some sections may also date from the time of Byzantine Emperor Constantine II in 668 CE. Over subsequent centuries, the castle changed hands multiple times. It was held by Byzantines, who maintained it as a strategic administrative and transportation center, until Arab forces under Harun al-Rashid captured it in 797 CE. Later, it was occupied by the Paulicians, a Christian sect, in 871 CE.
Seljuk Turks took control in the late 11th century, around 1073 CE, marking the beginning of Islamic influence at the site. Under Seljuk rule, a mosque was built at the castle’s inner entrance in 1197 CE by Sultan Alaeddin, reflecting the region’s evolving religious landscape. The castle briefly fell under Crusader control in 1101 CE before eventually becoming part of the expanding Ottoman Empire in 1356 CE.
Natural disasters also affected the castle’s history, notably an earthquake in 1688 that caused damage to its structure. Restoration efforts were undertaken in 1832 by Kavalalı İbrahim Pasha. In the 20th century, the castle experienced occupation by Allied forces after World War I in 1919, until it was incorporated into the newly founded Republic of Turkey in 1920. During the early republican period, Ankara Castle served a cultural role as the location of Turkey’s first museum, the Eti Museum, established in 1921 under the support of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and housed in the castle’s highest tower until 1948.
Remains
Ankara Castle consists of two concentric defensive walls that together enclose the historic core of the city. The outer wall forms a perimeter roughly 350 meters in length from north to south and about 180 meters east to west, encircling what was the old city. It includes around twenty towers evenly spaced about every 40 meters, providing vantage points for defense.
Inside this outer enclosure, the inner wall protects an area spanning approximately 43,000 square meters. This inner fortress is characterized by 42 pentagonal towers, which are mainly oriented along its east, west, and south walls, spaced closely every 15 to 20 meters for strengthened defense. Among these are five prominent corner towers. Wall heights vary from 14 to 16 meters, reflecting robust construction intended to withstand siege. The layout of these walls closely follows the natural contours of the hill, with the south and west walls intersecting at right angles, and the east wall curving along the hillside. Different construction techniques on the northern slope indicate adaptations to topography and defense needs.
The highest point of the castle is a four-story tower known as Akkale or Alitaşı at the southeast corner of the inner fortification. Built primarily from local Ankara stone alongside reused building materials from earlier Roman structures, this tower stands as a dominant feature. Reused elements, or spolia, include marble blocks, column capitals, and marble water channels, integrated into the walls especially during the repairs carried out in the 8th and 9th centuries.
The building materials reveal varied usage: the foundations and lowest sections of the walls rely on marble and basalt, prized for their durability, while upper portions incorporate brickwork, some of which has suffered wear over time. The inner castle not only served defensive purposes but housed a substantial community with about 600 residences constructed of wood, adobe, and brick, commonly rising two or three stories. These dwellings were centered around small squares that functioned as bazaars, known historically as Atpazarı, Samanpazarı, and Koyunpazarı, which supported economic and social activity within the fortress walls.
Two principal gateways grant access to the inner castle: an outer gate and what is known as the fortress gate. These entrances bear inscriptions that document aspects of the castle’s history. One inscription dates from the Ilkhanate period—a Mongol state that ruled parts of Turkey—while another attributes construction to the Seljuk era. These markings provide tangible records of the various powers that shaped the site.
Overall, Ankara Castle presents a complex architectural ensemble reflecting centuries of construction, destruction, and restoration. Its walls, towers, and urban fabric preserve the layers of Anatolia’s varied history, from its ancient Celtic roots through Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman chapters. The extensive reuse of Roman materials within the castle’s walls underlines both practical and symbolic continuity across eras.