C E N T R A L A N A T O L I A
H E A R T L A N D O F T U R K E Y
Welcome to the heartland!
Dismissed by foreign visitors until recent years as a bleak, featurless
plateau, is now beginning to be appreciated as the craddle of the extraordinary
Hittite Civilization (1500-1200 BC) and the Mesopotamian civilization.
Turkish civilization is also said to be originated in these central steplands.
Two most important places to visit in Central Anatolia are the capital of
the modern turkish Republic, Ankara, and the land fairy chimneys, The
Cappadocia. The following area attractions map highlight these, and other
places of interest in the Central Anatolia. We begin our journey from the
nation's capital, Ankara.
A N K A R A
Ankara, the capital of Turkey, has made an impressive development in the last 70 years. When Ataturk decided to move the capital to Ankara from Istanbul, he was moving the new government away from the Byzantine and Ottoman associations of Istanbul and its past, and back to the original Anatolian heartlands. When Ankara was made the capital in 1923, the town had a mere 30,000 population. 6 million people today, call Ankara home. Most likely the most impressive growth of any city in the world.
Ankara is full contrasts of old and new. While the new city, downtown area, is lined with luxury high-rise hotels, and impressive new buildings, the old streets around the citadel, outside the downtown Ankara region, shows characteristics of a simple Anatolian town.
Ankara, served by the Esenboga International Airport, is a government city, and therefore it has little to offer to the adventureous visitor. However, two of the major sights that should not be missed are the Ataturk's Mausoleum, and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations:
The eternal resting place of Ataturk, Anitkabir, is an extraordinarily huge monument, occupying an entire hill over a half-mile square in the center of Ankara. Four evenings a week in summer, there are "sound and light dramas", which by means of narration, sound and music, enact Turley's transformation into a modern state. This mausoleum cannot fail to impress you. Anitkabir is open to public daily except Mondays 9-5, and various items of Ataturk is also displayed in the Mausoleum museum.
Probably the most profound attraction of Ankara, is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. For most people this museum, with the most spectacular and comprehensive display of the Hittite and Urartian findings in the world, is the main reason for visiting Ankara. The most notable exhibits include the 8000 year-old murals of the Catalhoyuk cave sunctuary, the Alacahoyuk royal tomb jewelry, the huge Hittite sculptures, Urartian gold and silver works, and the world's first coin, from Sardis, dating back to 615 BC. Catalhoyuk is Turkey's most important neolithic and Bronze Age site, since it is the earliest known city in the world. The jewellry, sculptures and wall paintings decorating the shrines, found in this city all date back to 6800 BC, and indicate a remarkable advanced civilization in Anatolia at that time.
Modern Ankara also offer many shopping and entertainment centers for her residents and visitors. The newly builded ATAKULE, an impressive tower-like building, is a major shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Ankara. The roof of the tower features a rotating restaurant with a spectacular view.
C A P P A D O C I A
This extraordinary region of Central Anatolia has now become justly famous for its weird volcanic landscapes and painted churches, unique in the world. The natural agent responsible for the famous Cappodocian landscape was the (now extinct) volcano of the Mount Erciyes, around the town of Kayseri. The formation of these weird looking chimneys go back to 30 million years, when the volcanic ash formed a layer of soft, porous rock, known as tufa, covering an immense area of 1560 square miles(!). Today, these structures are also called The Fairy Chimneys, derived from local folktales.
More information on the Cappodocia, including the Urgup and Goreme National Parks, and Ihlara Valley will be here in the very near future. Please visit again soon.
Our photographic journey continues to the other regions of Turkey; The Eastern Anatolian Region, and The Black Sea Region, and if you haven't already visited, Istanbul and The Marmara region, the Aegean Region, and the Mediterranean Region, featuring the Turkish Riviera.
The Black Sea Region 
The Eastern Turkey 
Istanbul and The Marmara Region 
The Aegean Region 
The Mediterranean Region 
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ROBI POLIKAR CYBERDOMAIN ROOT PAGE 
Some of the information and pictures on this page are taken from the following
sources:
Diana Darke, Fodor's Exploring Turkey, Fodor's, New York, NY, 1995
Hans Hofer, Turkey, APA-Houghton Miffilin Company, Boston , MA, 1994
Fascinating Istanbul, Tourist Guide, Republic Of Turkey, Ministry of Tourism,
Istanbul, 1991