Ankara Old Town: Historic Places to Visit in Ulus

In Ulus, Ankara’s historic sights include Ankara Castle, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Roman Temple of Augustus beside Hacı Bayram Mosque. The municipality places the castle within the Ulus Historic City Centre conservation and renewal area. For a broader city plan, pair this guide with a practical one-day Ankara itinerary.

Raymar Hotels Ankara is about an eight-minute walk from Ankara city centre, making it a base for a city outing. Ulus travel times and routes are not specified here, so check transport information before setting out.

Ankara Castle sits within the Ulus historic area. The municipality identifies it as part of its responsibility in the conservation and renewal district, placing the castle among the area’s historic landmarks. The surrounding streets and lanes are a natural part of a visit to the castle, though current pedestrian arrangements and access details should be verified before you go.

EGO lists Ulus as a station on Ankara Metro. It also lists bus 402, the Başkent Kültür Turu route, as connecting Ulus with the train station, Anıtkabir, Kızılay, Hamamönü, Ulucanlar and Kale. If you are planning to include the national memorial, see this guide to visiting Anıtkabir.

At Gözcü Sokak No: 2, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations presents Anatolian finds from the Palaeolithic onward in chronological sections. Its collection is housed in two Ottoman-era buildings: Mahmutpaşa Bedesteni and Kurşunlu Han. An audio-guide service is available, and Turkish citizens can use MüzeKart.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism lists regular hours as 08:30–18:45 every day, with ticket sales ending at 18:45.

It also lists night-museum hours of 19:00–21:00, with ticket sales closing at 20:15; the stated 200 TL night-visit ticket is for Turkish citizens with a valid Turkish ID number and MüzeKart. Hours and access can change, so check the official site before you go.

The Roman Temple of Augustus stands beside Hacı Bayram Mosque in Ulus. The Ministry describes the temple as built by Emperor Augustus, probably between 25 and 20 BC, at a site associated with Kybele and Men. Hacı Bayram Mosque was originally built in 831 AH (1427/28), and its present building reflects features of late 17th- and 18th-century mosques.

The Ministry’s information identifies the locations and histories but does not specify visitor hours, admission rules or current access restrictions for the temple, or visitor hours and admission rules for the mosque. Check access before planning a visit.

The Republic Museum occupies the building that served as Turkey’s second Grand National Assembly building. It is at Cumhuriyet Bulvarı, II. Meclis Binası No: 2/10, Ulus. The Ministry lists daily hours of 09:00–19:00, with ticket sales ending at 18:30. Turkish citizens can use MüzeKart, and audio guides are available.

Nearby museum options include the Ethnography Museum and the Museum of Painting and Sculpture. The Ministry lists the Ethnography Museum at Hacettepe Mahallesi, Türkocağı Sokak No: 4, Opera, with daily hours of 08:30–17:30 and ticket sales ending at 17:00.

The Museum of Painting and Sculpture is at Hacettepe Mahallesi, Türk Ocağı Sokak No: 1, Altındağ; it is listed as open 09:00–17:30 and closed on Mondays, with ticket sales ending at 17:00.

For a separate museum visit in the city, consider Cin Ali Müzesi in Ankara.

Ulus Metro station gives you a rail option for reaching the district. EGO also lists bus 402 as a sightseeing connection between several city stops and historic areas, including Ulus and Kale. Its operating details can change; use current EGO information to check the route and service before relying on it.

The available facts do not set visit durations for the castle, temple or museums, so allow time according to the places you choose rather than relying on a fixed itinerary.

For the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, note that the regular listing gives ticket-office closing at the same time as the museum’s stated closing. At the Republic Museum, ticket sales end before the listed closing time; the Ethnography Museum and Museum of Painting and Sculpture also have earlier ticket-office cutoffs.

Opening schedules and transport details may change. Before you go, check the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s official museum information and EGO’s current transport information, especially for the temple and mosque, where visitor access details are not specified in the information available here.