City history
Discover the historical journey of Ankara, from its ancient roots as Ankyra to its modern role as the central administrative heartbeat of the Republic of Turkey.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"Anchor"
The name Ankyra is believed to derive from the Greek word for anchor, suggesting the city served as a secure and stable location in the ancient Anatolian landscape.
Anchor
A major Hellenistic and Roman center located in the central Anatolian region of Galatia.
Unknown
The name underwent phonetic shifts during the Ottoman period as it became an important regional hub.
Capital
Officially designated as the capital city of the new Republic following the Turkish War of Independence.
Chapter two
Turkey moved toward a more unified time standard to facilitate national synchronization and administrative efficiency across its provinces.
Turkey officially ceased the practice of seasonal time shifts, opting to remain on permanent UTC+3 throughout the entire year.
Chapter three
Ankara was officially declared the capital of the Republic of Turkey, marking a major shift in the nation's political center.
The transition from the Hijri and Rumi calendars to the Gregorian calendar helped align Turkey with international temporal standards.
The establishment of major cultural institutions helped formalize the performing arts and rhythmic traditions within the new capital.
Significant developments in transit and city planning began to reshape Ankara into a modern metropolitan hub for the nation.