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Ulucanlar Prison (Ulucanlar Cezaevi) was one of the most notorious prisons in Turkey. It’s located in the heart of Ankara just a short walk east of Ankara Castle.

Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Ulucanlar Prison

 

History of Ulucanlar Prison

Ulucanlar Prison was established in 1925, shortly after Ankara became the capital of the newly-formed Turkish Republic. It served as a maximum security prison, holding the most dangerous criminals as well as high-profile detainees, until its closure in 2006. Among the prisoners over the years were intellectuals, journalists, poets, writers, politicians, and political activists held for their opposing political views.

Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Ulucanlar Prison

The prison was renovated and reopened as a museum on June 16, 2011. It includes original graffiti and murals on the walls, and all items exhibited are original.

Guard tower


 

Visiting Ulucanlar Prison

The Ulucanlar Prison Museum is open daily except Mondays from 10am to 4pm. Adult admission is 30₺ (as of August 2024), while the disabled and anyone over 65 is admitted free of charge. Audio guides are available in Turkish only. Visitors follow a fixed path guided with arrows.

Entrance to the museum

The prison gives a good look into life in a Turkish prison with authentic artifacts, photos, and wax figures. Unfortunately, when we visited everything was in Turkish. It would be nice to have the labels and prisoner profiles translated into English. It took us about 45 minutes to walk through. The rest of the post follows the path we took during our visit.

Guard tower

 

Entrance to Ulucanlar Prison

After paying the admission, we walked down a dark, musty corridor to an outdoor path with high walls on either side. The path opens to a small courtyard.

Corridor after the entrance
Corridor after the entrance
Outdoor path
Outdoor path
Courtyard at the end of the path
Courtyard at the end of the path

 

Hilton (9th and 10th Ward)

The building at the other end of the courtyard is the 9th and 10th Ward, affectionately known by prisoners as the Hilton. The Hilton was much smaller and therefore less crowded than the other wards, which made it more comfortable for inmates housed there.

Hilton at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Hilton
View from the upper floor of the Hilton
View from the upper floor of the Hilton

The rooms in the Hilton feature original bunk beds where famous political prisoners such as four-time Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit (1925-2006), political party leader Osman Bölükbaşı (1913-2002), and journalist Cüneyt Arcayürek (1928-2015). Their biographies are posted next to the beds.

A room at the Hilton at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
A room at the Hilton
Bunk beds with profiles of political prisoners who stayed at the Hilton at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Bunk beds with profiles of political prisoners who stayed at the Hilton


 

Isolation Ward

Next, we walked past a guard’s office before entering the long corridor of the Isolation Ward. It was reserved for high-profile criminals and prisoners who had committed disciplinary offenses. The cells were small and had iron doors with no windows.

Guard's office
Guard’s office
Isolation Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Isolation Ward
Iron door
Iron door

While walking down the corridor, the screams of prisoners being tortured and the yells of the prison guards play over the loudspeakers. It’s possible to peek into the cells to feel the agony of the prisoners. At the end of the corridor, we walked outside and back down the length of the Isolation Ward towards the Hilton.

Cell in the Isolation Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Cell in the Isolation Ward
Cell in the Isolation Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Cell in the Isolation Ward
Outer corridor of the Isolation Ward
Outer corridor of the Isolation Ward

 

4th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison

The door opposite the Hilton leads to the courtyard of the 4th Ward, where there’s a small mosque to the right of the entrance.

Entrance to the 4th Ward (left) and the mosque (right)
Entrance to the 4th Ward (left) and the mosque (right)
Mosque at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Mosque
4th Ward courtyard
4th Ward courtyard
4th Ward courtyard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
4th Ward courtyard

Inside the 4th Ward to the left is a toilet and a kitchen where inmates would prepare meals. The experience is enhanced by two wax figures of inmates sitting a table.

Toilet in the 4th Ward
Toilet
Kitchen in the 4th Ward
Kitchen
Inmates sitting at a table in the 4th Ward
Inmates sitting at a table

The dormitory of the 4th Ward contained two long rows of rusted bunk beds. At the far end of the room, wax figures helped us imagine how prisoners would spend their days. Having tea, playing music, or sitting on their beds and reading.

Dormitory in the 4th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Dormitory
Dormitory in the 4th Ward
Dormitory
Scene in the 4th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Scene in the 4th Ward
Prisoners sitting on their beds in the 4th Ward
Prisoners sitting on their beds

Looking up to the ceiling, we noticed two grated windows where guards could look down into the room and keep an eye on the inmates.

Windows in the ceiling in the 4th Ward
Windows in the ceiling


 

5th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison

A door from the courtyard of the 4th Ward leads to the courtyard of the 5th Ward. On the wall, we saw a picture of Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet (1902-1963), who was imprisoned at Ulucanlar in 1938 for his political views.

5th Ward courtyard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
5th Ward courtyard
5th Ward courtyard
5th Ward courtyard
Photo of Nazım Hikmet in the 5th Ward courtyard
Photo of Nazım Hikmet

Inside the dormitory, it’s the same setup as in the 4th Ward but without the wax figures. There are the same long rows of bunk beds with a table and some lockers.

Entrance to the 5th Ward dormitory
Entrance to the 5th Ward dormitory
Dormitory in the 5th Ward
Dormitory
Bunk beds in the 5th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Bunk beds
Table and lockers in the 5th Ward
Table and lockers

Biographies of famous prisoners are attached the beds, and we were able to admire some of the original murals on the walls. They were painted by prisoners and preserved during the restoration of the Ulucanlar Prison.

Prisoner profiles in the 5th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Prisoner profiles
Mural painted by a prisoner in the 5th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Mural painted by a prisoner
"You lost your freedom, don't lose your honor" in the 5th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
“You lost your freedom, don’t lose your honor”

Attached to the dorm is another bathroom and kitchen, but the marble slabs are bare and don’t display any utensils.

Toilet in the 5th Ward
Toilet
Kitchen in the 5th Ward
Kitchen

 

Film Room

A door from the 5th Ward exits to a long outdoor corridor that leads to the prison’s film room. Inside, an old Turkish movie is projected onto a screen. A sign on the wall indicates it as the Education and Culture Room, and several old wooden chairs were arranged in rows.

Corridor to the film room
Corridor to the film room
Film room
Film room
Film room at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Film room


 

6th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison

Next is the courtyard of the 6th Ward. Inside the dormitory, there’s one row of bunk beds with more prisoner biographies.

6th Ward courtyard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
6th Ward courtyard
6th Ward courtyard
6th Ward courtyard
Dormitory in the 6th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Dormitory

Across from the beds are displays exhibiting the personal belongings of many notable inmates who spent time at Ulucanlar Prison. They include items such as cigarettes, lighters, eyeglasses, teapots, and IDs. Visitors can also see the film projector and a piano used at the prison.

Personal belongings of Beyhan Cenkçi (left) and Metin Toker (right) in the 6th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Personal belongings of Beyhan Cenkçi (left) and Metin Toker (right)
Personal belongings of Said Özdemir in the 6th Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Personal belongings of Said Özdemir
Piano (left) and film projector (right) in the 6th Ward
Piano (left) and film projector (right)

 

Dungeon

Next, we walked down a dark corridor with four disciplinary cells. They each have small doors with the cells a bit under the ground level.

Dungeon at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Dungeon

The small concrete cells have no beds or other amenities, and the word dungeon (zindan) written on the plaque above each door is a fitting description. It’s clear that the worst criminals spent time in these cells, and it’s possible to peek inside to see wax figures of prisoners.

Cell in the dungeon
Cell in the dungeon
Cell in the dungeon at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Cell in the dungeon


 

Barber

At the end of the dungeon, an arrow pointed us to an open area with a desk and two chairs. This was the barber at Ulucanlar Prison. A set of clippers, a spray bottle, a towel, and two bowls sat on the desk.

Barber at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Barber
Open area
Open area
Open area
Open area

 

1st Ward at Ulucanlar Prison

From there, the signs took us down another corridor to the right of the dungeon. It leads to the 1st Ward where only the courtyard was open. It contains a few trees and shrubs as well as a faded mural.

Corridor to the 1st Ward
Corridor to the 1st Ward
1st Ward courtyard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
1st Ward courtyard
Guard tower above the 1st Ward courtyard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Guard tower above the 1st Ward courtyard

 

2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison

A door in the 1st Ward courtyard leads to the 2nd Ward courtyard of Ulucanlar Prison. It contains an octagonal fountain with a series of murals on the wall behind it. This is easily the most pleasant courtyard in the prison.

2nd Ward courtyard
2nd Ward courtyard
Fountain and murals in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Fountain and murals
"You lost your freedom, don't lose your honor"
“You lost your freedom, don’t lose your honor”

Just inside the entrance to the dormitory, there’s another mural and a small room with a wax figure preparing tea. Photos of inmates hang on the wall above a bench behind the wax figure.

2nd Ward
2nd Ward
Mural in the 2nd Ward
Mural
Prisoner preparing tea in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Prisoner preparing tea

To the left of the entrance is a small kitchen with towels hanging on the wall. Burners and cooking utensils sit on the counters.

Kitchen in the 2nd Ward
Kitchen
Kitchen in the 2nd Ward
Kitchen

In the first half of the dormitory are glass cases displaying the belongings of several famous inmates including Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif (1927-1991); right-wing nationalist-islamist politician Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu (1954-2009); nationalist Ali Bülent Orkan (1962-1982); poet Ahmet Tevfik Ozan; politician Kasım Gülek (1905-1996); and several others.

Dormitory in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Dormitory
Personal items of Ali Bülent Orkan in the 2nd Ward
Personal items of Ali Bülent Orkan

Other displays feature typewriters, shackles, telephones, and other items used in the prison as well as newspaper clippings, homemade weapons, and Qurans read by prisoners.

Items used at the prison in the 2nd Ward
Items used at the prison
Homemade weapons in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Homemade weapons

In the back half of the dormitory are bunk beds with photos on the wall behind them. Wax figures of prisoners complete the scene. One is reading a Quran on his bed while another is performing prayers on a small rug.

Dormitory in the 2nd Ward
Dormitory
Prisoner reading the Quran on his bed in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Prisoner reading the Quran on his bed
Prisoner performing prayers in the 2nd Ward at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Prisoner performing prayers


 

Main Yard

We walked back through the 1st Ward to the open area with the barber and continued to the main yard. This is where several functional buildings stand. To the left of the main building, which functioned as an infirmary, is a cafeteria and library. The library contains books about Ulucanlar Prison as well as books written by prisoners. A prison vehicle sits to the west of the cafeteria and library.

Main yard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Main yard
Main yard at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Main yard
Looking towards the prison entrance from the main yard
Looking towards the prison entrance
Prison vehicle
Prison vehicle

On the east side of the yard is a small building with a laundry room containing original equipment. In the back of the building is a hamam.

Laundry and hamam building
Laundry and hamam building
Laundry room at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Laundry room
Hamam
Hamam
Hamam at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Hamam

On the west side of the main yard is the visiting room. There are two rows of booth where inmates could speak to their visitors.

Visiting room
Visiting room
Visiting room at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Visiting room
Booth in the visiting room
Booth in the visiting room

Finally, just before the exit is the original gallows and hangman’s noose where 19 prisoners were hanged between 1926 and 1982. The names and execution dates of these prisoners are listed on a plaque on the wall. The death penalty was abolished by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on July 14, 2004.

Gallows at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Gallows
Gallows at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
Gallows
List of executions at Ulucanlar Prison in Ankara, Turkey
List of executions
Exit
Exit

 

Map of Ulucanlar Prison

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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