Visitors
to the city usually like to browse through
the old shops in Cikrikcilar Yokusu near Ulus.
On the street of coppersmiths, Bakircilar
Carsisi, you can find many interesting old
and new items, not only of copper but jewellery,
carpets, costumes, antiquities and embroidery.
A walk up the hill to the Citadel Gate takes
you past many interesting stalls and vendors
selling spices, dried fruits, nuts and all
manner of produce. Modern shopping areas are
mostly found in Kizilay, on Tunali Hilmi Avenue
and in the recently completed
Atakule Tower in Cankaya. The top of Atakule,
at 125 meters, offers a magnificent view over
the whole city. Its excellent revolving restaurant
allows you to enjoy the complete view in a
leisurely fashion. In the new Karum shopping
mall, in Kavaklidere, some of Turkey's most
chic clothing stores tempt the passer-by.
West of Ankara
The
most important Phrygian sites in Anatolia
are to be found in the provinces of Ankara,
Eskisehir and Afyon. Yassihoyuk (Gordion)
was the capital of Phrygia and the place
were Alexander the Great cut the Gordion
Knot to gain the key to Asia.
Off the same Ankara-Eskisehir road is Ballihisar
(Pessinus), an important Phrygian religious
cult center. The most important remains
are those of a temple to Cybele, the mother
goddess whose worship was at the heart of
the Phrygian culture.
Eskisehir was founded in the first millennium
B.C. on the banks of the Porsuk River by
the Phrygians. Significant architectural
monuments include the 13th century Alaeddin
Mosque and the 16th century Kursunlu Complex.
All three of the city's museums are worth
visiting: the Archaeological Museum has
Phrygian objects and sculptures from the
area; the Ottoman House Museum; a fine example
of 19th century domestic architecture, houses
a collection of local ethnographical items;
and the Ataturk Culture Museum has a photographic
exhibition of Ataturk's life, a number of
personal effects and a display of items
made of meerschaum.
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