Although Ankara is the capital of modern Turkish Republic, Ankara is always on the shadow of Istanbul. Whenever we talk about Turkey, everyone remembers Istanbul firstly. It has some historical reasons.
Ankara and its region weren’t so important expect some periods. The ancient site Gordion was one of the historical sites because the famous king Midas (with donkey ears) lived here. Also Alexander the Great became dominant by cutting the knot of Gordion according to the legend.
Being unimportant doesn’t mean that there had been no residence on the zone. There has been settlement on every period of history. We can find the best samples of Hittite civilization at the region. Many tumulus’ were discovered in the region of Ankara. The museum of Anatolian civilization was opened here by the order of Atatürk. Those items are being exhibited at this museum.
Ankara had been a small town of Anatolia till the independent war of Turkey. Commander Mustafa Kemal chose Ankara as the headquarter of independence war. Then Ankara was declared as capital of new Turkish state in 1923.
Due to its location ( center of Turkey), it can be considered as junction point of four main directions.