The Guide Ankara 2010
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Letter from the Editor-in-Chief
A city of contrasts …
Ankuwash… Ancyra… Ankyra… Angora… these are just some of the old names of current day Ankara, the state capital of Turkey.
First came the Phrygians followed by the Lydians, Persians, Galatians, Romans, Turks, Seljuks and the Ottomans before the declaration of the Turkish Republic in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
At that time the population of this sleepy town was only 30,000: today, it is the 2nd largest city in Turkey with a population of approximately 4.5 million.
As with all state capitals around the world, the majority of Ankara’s population works for the government at all levels and the city has a foreign community made up primarily of diplomats.
However, Ankara is still a “very young city” and a major college town with some of the best universities in Turkey. There are approximately 200,000 students from all over Turkey and abroad at Ankara’s ten universities, with Gazi University alone accounting for 60,000 students.
Due to the economic growth in Turkey in the last few years, Ankara expanded and still continues to grow - both “up” with very tall skyscrapers towering over the old city and with new and expansive neighborhoods to meet the demands of the residents. As the city center became more and more congested, housing requirements began to change too. Now, the city center and old city is being abandoned by families moving to the new satellite neighborhoods with their houses with green lawns, swimming pools and picket fences or modern housing complexes with concierge services, fitness centers and spas.
The retail industry is also booming in Ankara: there are now approximately 50 shopping malls and outlet centers in the city. Not only have the major Turkish retailers opened shops, major international retailers have also seen Ankara as a good place to invest for the future. Hoteliers also are investing in Ankara’s future: next year another major 5-star international chain will be opening and other hotel chains have also shown an interest.
Compared to the retail industry, the restaurant and nightlife industry appear to be lagging behind as the majority of Ankara residents are a little more conservative when it comes to eating out at the more pricy and trendy venues compared to its sister city Istanbul. But, a very interesting tidbit: for a city that is not surrounded by any bodies of water, Ankara has some of the best seafood restaurants in Turkey – a contrast in it of itself! By far, the standout among the crowd is Trllye Restaurant in Gaziosmanpaşa.
We began preparing an annual issue of The Guide Ankara in 1992, so we have had an opportunity to witness the incredible growth of the city and have attempted to share this with you our readers – not only through our articles, but also in our The Listings section, which is a handy resource and our version of the “yellow pages” for both residents and visitors to our state capital.
Enjoy Ankara and let the The Guide Ankara “guide” you through your stay!
If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to guide(at)apa.com.tr
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