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Ulus is a district in Ankara, Turkey. It was once the heart of the city and the center of Turkey’s government. The name translates to Nation in English.
Today, Ulus is predominantly a business and tourism district made up of several hotels, restaurants, historic sites, malls, and other businesses.
Ulus Square
At the center of Ulus is Ulus Square (Ulus Meydanı). It’s actually an intersection with four streets and a small pedestrianized area on the east side.
Victory Monument
On the east side of the square is the Victory Monument (Zafer Anıtı). It’s a group of four bronze statues made by Austrian sculptor Heinrich Krippel (1883-1945). It was inaugurated on November 24, 1927.
Atop the pedestal is an equestrian statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic. On the west side is a soldier calling his friend to the battlefield while another observes the front. A statue of a woman carrying a cannonball is on the east side to commemorate the contribution of Turkish women during the Turkish War of Independence.
İşbank Building
A block north of Ulus Square along Çankırı Avenue is the İşbank Building (Türkiye İş Bankası Binası). It was designed by Istanbul-born Italian architect Giulio Mongeri (1875-1953) as the headquarters for İşbank (Türkiye İş Bankası), Turkey’s largest bank. The bank later used it as a branch office.
On May 2, 2019, the building reopened as the İşbank Economic Independence Museum (Türkiye İş Bankası İktisadi Bağımsızlık Müzesi), which focuses on the Turkish economy. It’s open daily except Mondays from 10am to 6pm and admission is free (as of April 2024). The original teller windows are on display on the ground floor while the safe deposit boxes are in the basement. We didn’t have a chance to visit but it’s on our list for our next trip to Ankara.
Cumhuriyet Avenue in Ulus
Cumhuriyet Avenue runs southwest from Ulus Square. It contains a handful of grand buildings related to the Turkish government.
First Grand National Assembly of Turkey
On the west side of the square along Cumhuriyet Avenue is the First Grand National Assembly of Turkey (I. TBMM Binası). It was built between 1915 and 1920 on the orders of Enver Pasha (1881-1922) as the Committee of Union and Progress. The building was designed by architect Salim Bey while architect Hasip Bey oversaw construction.
Before the building was finished, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Turkish Parliament) decided to use it as their headquarters. It served in that role from the Assembly’s inauguration on April 23, 1920, to October 15, 1924. After that, it was used as the headquarters of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) until 1952 and a law school until 1957.
On April 23, 1961, it opened as the Grand National Assembly Museum and was reorganized as the War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi) on April 23, 1981. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for restoration when we tried to visit. We hope to see it on a future trip to Ankara.
Second Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Continuing down Cumhuriyet Avenue is the Second Grand National Assembly of Turkey (II. TBMM Binası). It now functions as the Republic Museum, which is covered in a separate post.
Ankara Palace
Across the street is the Ankara Palace (Ankara Palas). It was built between 1924 and 1928 and designed by Turkish architect Vedat Tek (1873-1942). Turkish architect Mimar Kemaleddin (1870-1927) oversaw its construction and actually died at the construction site.
Ankara Palace was originally designed to house the Ministry of Health but was converted to a hotel to accommodate members of the Grand National Assembly, the press, and foreign dignitaries. In 1983, it was restored as a 60-room state guest house with a reception hall, banquet hall, dining room, and tea lounge. The building was restored and converted to the Presidential Museum. Admission for foreigners is 200₺ (as of April 2024). We look forward to seeing it in the future.
Clock Tower
At the end of the block is a busy intersection with a clock tower in the center. Ulus metro station is located there and on the south side is Gençlik Park. Cumhuriyet Avenue continues along the park until it ends at the Ankara Railway Station.
Gençlik Park
Gençlik Park (Gençlik Parkı) is the largest and most important public park in Ankara. It’s worth walking through before continuing your exploration of Ulus.
The land where Gençlik Park now sits was once marshland. German architect Hermann Jansen (1869-1945) was invited by the Turkish Republic to design the park as a contemporary recreation space. His plan was approved by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) in 1936. Shortly after, the marsh was drained and construction on the park began. Gençlik Park opened to the public on May 19, 1943.
Features of Gençlik Park
Gençlik Park, which translates to Youth Park, has an area of 275,000 square meters. Approximately 107,000 square meters of that is green space and 45,000 square meters is pools with fountains. There are six entrance gates and many walking paths lined with benches.
A 25,000 square meter amusement park opened in 1951 and there’s a large children’s playground of approximately 1,800 square meters. Restaurants, tea gardens, and food kiosks are scattered throughout the park to serve visitors.
At night, there are light and water shows on the pools to entertain visitors. Unfortunately, during our visit to the park, the pools were being renovated. We hope to visit in the future so we can see the park in its full splendor.
Gençlik Park is also an important cultural destination in Ankara. There’s a 10,000 square meter opera house as well as the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Theater (Ankara Büyükşehir Belediye Tiyatrosu). The theater is one of the largest in the city with a capacity of 638.
In addition to the performing arts, there’s a youth center, cultural center, wedding hall, and some sculptures within the park.
Atatürk Boulevard in Ulus
After walking through Gençlik Park, you can exit from the east side. From there, you can walk north up Atatürk Boulevard back to Ulus Square. There are a couple points of interest on Atatürk Boulevard just east of the park.
Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
First is a historic building belonging to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (T.C. Kültur ve Turizm Bakanlığı). The building was originally occupied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Dışişleri Bakanlığı). On the south side is a relief with scenes of touristic places located all over Turkey. Across the street to the north is the Foundation Works Museum, which is covered in another post.
Melike Hatun Mosque
North of the museum is the Melike Hatun Mosque (Melike Hatun Camii). At first glance, it may look like a historic mosque, but it’s actually a modern Ottoman-style mosque. It’s impressive and worth popping in to take a look.
Construction on the Melike Hatun Mosque began in 2013 and it opened to worship on September 27, 2017. It’s named after Melike Hatun, a wealthy woman who lived in the 14th century and commissioned many buildings in Ankara. She may have been the daughter of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad III. The architect of the mosque was Hilmi Şenalp, who took inspiration from Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588).
Features of the Melike Hatun Mosque
The mosque covers an area of 3,600 square meters (39,000 square feet) and can accommodate 7,000 worshippers. Underneath is a parking lot along with a conference center for 1,000 people. Beautiful fountains and landscaping decorate the garden outside the building.
The Melike Hatun Mosque has four minarets. Each one is 72 meters (236 feet) high and has 3 balconies. The entrance is through a double colonnaded portico. Calligraphic medallions decorate the walls on both sides of the door. The door includes inlaid mother-of-pearl and gold leaf as well as ivory inscriptions.
The prayer hall of the Melike Hatun Mosque is beautifully lit by several stained glass windows. There’s a small fountain in the center, and there are blue tiles and calligraphy along the walls.
The dome is 27 meters (89 feet) in diameter and reaches a height of 47 meters (154 feet). There are 16 marble inscriptions on the underside of the dome.
Government Square in Ulus
Once back at Ulus Square, you can walk down the road in front of the İşbank Building to reach Government Square (Hükümet Meydanı). It’s surrounded by former government buildings allocated to Ankara University of Social Sciences (Ankara Sosyal Bilimler Üniversitesi).
Prime Ministry
On the west side of Government Square is Turkey’s first Prime Ministry building. It was built in 1925 by architect Yahya Ahmet Bey and served as the Prime Ministry until 1937. After that, the building hosted the Ministry of Finance and the Undersecretariat of Customs. It was allocated to Ankara University of Social Sciences in 2013 and functions as the rectorate building.
Ankara Governorship
On the north side of Government Square is the former Ankara Governorship (Ankara Valiliği). It was built by Abidin Pasha in 1897. The building functioned as the Ankara Governorship until August 5, 2019, when it was allocated to Ankara University of Social Sciences.
Roman Road
In the garden in front of the old governorship building is a section of Roman road. It was discovered during excavations from 1995 to 1996 and sits 4.25 meters below the current street level. The road is covered with a glass floor so visitors can walk above it and look down.
Column of Julian
Finally, in the center of Government Square is the Column of Julian (Julianus Sütunu). It was erected in 362 in honor of Roman Emperor Julian’s visit to Ankara. It was originally located near the İşbank Building about a block away and was moved to its current location in 1934.
The Column of Julian is 15 meters high and is crowned with a Corinthian capital. It’s made of limestone and there’s no inscription.
Hacıbayram
East of Government Square is Hacıbayram, which is a historic neighborhood within the Ulus district of Ankara. It takes its name from Hacı Bayram-ı Veli (1352-1430), an Ottoman poet and founder of the Bayrami Sufi order. It’s a pleasant place to walk through.
The neighborhood is full of nicely restored Ottoman homes and a few scenic streets. A beautiful central square with a fountain and clock tower has steps leading up to the Hacı Bayram Mosque and Temple of Augustus.
From the level of the mosque and temple, there are excellent views of Ankara Castle and parts of the rest of the city. You can also get a different perspective of the Ottoman buildings.
Walking through the rest of the neighborhood, there are bazaars and shops selling all kinds of goods including some souvenirs, sweets, and home furnishings. As Hacıbayram contains the most important mosque in Ankara, there are plenty of shops selling religious items. The neighborhood also has a handful of cafés and restaurants.
We noticed there was still some construction and restorations going on throughout the area. Hopefully we’ll see the results on a future trip to Ankara.
Hacı Bayram Mosque
The Hacı Bayram Mosque (Hacı Bayram Camii) is the most important mosque in Ankara. It was built between 1427 and 1428 by architect Mehmed Bey and sits adjacent to the Temple of Augustus.
The Hacı Bayram Mosque was restored in 1714 and bears the architectural characteristics of a 17th and 18th century mosque. Additions were constructed on the west side and at the entrance on the north side. The mosque was most recently repaired in 2010 and reopened to worship on February 14, 2011. It has a capacity of 4,500 indoors and another 1,500 outdoors.
The Hacı Bayram Mosque has one minaret with two balconies. It stands outside the south wall and was repaired in 1714 by Mehmed Baba, a descendant of Hacı Bayram-ı Veli.
The prayer hall has a rectangular plan and the main section is covered with a wooden ceiling. The upper windows are bordered with flowered patterns, while Kütahya tiles surround the lower section of the walls.
The area around the mosque is surrounded by restored Ottoman buildings. They include shops and restaurants. There’s also a Roman ruin, an example of a minbar and mihrab, and excellent views of Ankara Castle.
Tomb of Hacı Bayram-ı Veli
Behind the mosque is the tomb of Hacı Bayram-ı Veli (Hacı Bayram-ı Veli Türbesi). It was built in 1429 on a square plan and is topped by a dome sitting on an octagonal drum. There are several other sarcophagi inside the tomb along with Hacı Bayram-ı Veli.
Temple of Augustus
The Temple of Augustus (Augustus Tapınağı), also known as the Monumentum Ancyranum, was built by Roman Emperor Augustus between 25 and 20 BC. It sits atop the ruins of an earlier 2nd century BC Phrygian temple.
In the 6th century, the Byzantines converted the temple to a church. During the construction of the adjacent Hacı Bayram Mosque, the temple may have been used a madrasa. The tomb of Osman Fazıl Pasha was built in the 18th century next to the foundations of the peristyle to the southwest of the temple.
The Temple of Augustus was reintroduced to the western world by Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq (1522-1592), the ambassador of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I to the Ottoman Empire from 1555 to 1562. He reported on its significance to Süleyman the Magnificent in Amasya.
The temple had an area measuring 36 x 55 meters and was divided into 3 sections. There were 8 columns on the short sides and 15 columns on the long sides. Only the side walls, an ornamented door frame, and the position of six columns remain today.
The Temple of Augustus sits between the Hacı Bayram Mosque and a small park to the east. A walkway with interpretive panels surrounds the ruins on three sides.
Res Gestae Divi Augusti
The Temple of Augustus is important not only in Ankara, but throughout the Roman world because of its inscription of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Deeds of Divine Augustus). It was written by Augustus himself as a firsthand account of his life and accomplishments.
After the death of Augustus in 14 AD, the Res Gestae Divi Augusti was read aloud in the Senate and inscribed on two bronze pillars that stood in front of the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome. It was also sent to be carved on temples and monuments in every corner of the Roman Empire. The original inscription in Rome has been lost and only three copies, including the one in Ankara, survive.
On the Temple of Augustus, the Res Gestae Divi Augusti was inscribed on the inner wall of the portico. It was written in both Latin and Greek and is the most complete remaining copy. Other incomplete copies have been found in Anatolia at Apollonia (modern Uluborlu) and Antioch (modern Yalvaç).
Roman Theatre
East of Hacıbayram on the way up to Ankara Castle are the ruins of an ancient Roman theatre. It was built on a semicircular plan with the seating area stretching up into the hillside. It’s estimated that there were between 20 and 22 rows of seats.
The construction date of the theatre is unknown but it’s estimated to date back to the 1st century BC. It may be older because it was built into the hillside, which is common with Hellenistic theatres. Excavations took place between 1983 and 1986, and finds are on display in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
Unfortunately, the theatre has been neglected and was being used by a few locals as a garbage dump. Access wasn’t possible when we visited in November 2019, and it was best admired from the road above.
Former French Embassy & Church of St. Teresa
Finally, further up the road to the castle is the former French Embassy and the Church of St. Teresa (Azize Tereza Latin Katolik Kilisesi). It was built in 1928 and the church was a chapel attached to the embassy. The French Consul lived in the building until 1962. The church was restored in 2002 and contains stained glass windows made in Bordeaux and Florence.
The building sits on the site of the St. Clement French College (Aziz Klement Fransız Koleji), which was built in 1915 and burned down a year later. At that time it was near the old Armenian district of Ankara.
The Church of St. Teresa is open for worship Wednesday evenings at 6pm and Sundays at 11:30am. Visiting hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 2pm to 5pm. Unfortunately, it was closed when we walked by.
