Things to Do in Keçiören: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Keçiören

• 1 Historic
• 1 Museum
• 2 Nature
• 1 Attraction

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1 🏛️ Historic

Estergon Castle (Keçiören)

Built in 2001 as a replica of the Estergon Castle in Hungary, the structure is a symbol of Turkish-Hungarian friendship. It houses the Turkish-Hungarian Friendship Park and a cultural centre.

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2 🌳 Nature

Keçiören Botanical Park

Covering an area of 60,000 m², the park is one of Ankara's largest botanical gardens, with hundreds of plant species, ornamental pools and walking paths. The rose garden and cactus greenhouse are of particular interest.

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3 🌳 Nature

Kalaba Park and Pond

A park in the Kalaba quarter of Keçiören, with an artificial pond and landscaping. It is a resting place preferred by families.

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4 📸 Attraction

Keçiören Municipality Open-Air Museum

An open-air museum displaying replicas of architectural works from different countries, offering examples of world architecture. Small-scale copies of structures such as the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty are on display.

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5 🖼️ Museum

Keçiören Municipality Estergon Ethnography Museum

A museum within the Estergon Turkish Culture Centre, displaying works from the Ottoman and Seljuk periods.

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While you are in Keçiören, you can also see the highlights of Ankara province. These places are in other districts.

• Anıtkabir — The mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, designed by Emin Onat and Orhan Arda and built on Rasattepe between 1944 and 1953. The Lion Road leads to the ceremonial square; the Hall of Honour holds the symbolic sarcophagus, and Atatürk's body lies in the tomb chamber on the lower floor.
• Museum of Anatolian Civilisations — Housed in the Mahmud Paşa Bedesten and Kurşunlu Han, the museum began at Atatürk's wish as a 'Hittite Museum' and today displays Anatolia's civilisations in chronological order.
• Ankara Castle — The exact date the castle in Altındağ was built is unknown; it is known that the Roman emperor Caracalla had its walls repaired in AD 217. Repaired in the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, it is the historic core of Ankara, with narrow streets inside and views of the city from the walls.
• Arslanhane (Ahi Şerafeddin) Mosque — A Seljuk mosque at the southern end of the castle, dating from the 13th century, with wooden columns and a wooden ceiling; it is one of the oldest and most important buildings in the city.
• Hamamönü — This district takes its name from the Karacabey Hammam in the complex of Karaca Bey, the Beylerbey of Anatolia, in the 1430s.
• Temple of Augustus — The temple beside the Hacı Bayram Mosque was built in the name of the emperor Augustus in about 25–20 BC. Its walls bear the Res Gestae inscription, known as the Monumentum Ancyranum, which recounts Augustus's deeds; it has been protected with the support of the World Monuments Fund.

Practical Information for Visiting Keçiören

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and summer

Places to visit

5 places

• 🍳

  Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole)

  Ankara tava, lamb cooked with onions and peppers in a casserole, is on the menus of traditional restaurants in Keçiören.

• 🥣

  İşkembe Çorbası (tripe soup)

  Served late into the night at traditional tripe restaurants in Keçiören's old neighbourhoods, this soup is flavoured with garlic vinegar.

• 🫓

  Etli Ekmek (meat flatbread)

  Thin dough topped with minced meat, onions and spices and baked in a stone oven, etli ekmek is a widespread dish in Keçiören.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Keçiören

• 🌍

  Migrant Culture Mosaic

  Keçiören is a district where migrants from the Balkans and the Caucasus settled in the Republican period. This multicultural structure has created a rich mosaic in cuisine and traditions.

• 🤝

  International Friendship Parks

  Keçiören has parks and monuments set up in friendship with different countries. The replica of Estergon Castle and the Japan Park are among the best-known of these friendship projects.

Local Products

• Keçiören Market Produce — Fresh vegetables, fruit and homemade products brought from neighbouring districts are sold at weekly markets set up in various quarters of Keçiören.

Economy

Keçiören is the most populous district in Ankara. The economy relies largely on the services sector and trade. Commercial centres, shopping malls and small-scale businesses form the basis of the district's economy. The health sector also has a significant share.

How to Get to Keçiören

Keçiören is one of the central districts of Ankara. The Ankara Metro Kızılay–Keçiören line provides direct access to the district. All neighbourhoods can be reached by EGO buses and dolmuş minibuses.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Ankara

Keçiören: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Keçiören Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Ankara The province's 21 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Ankara

• Akyurt 7 places İdris Mountain, Akyurt Castle and Karacaören Köyü Kaya Mezarları
• Altındağ 11 places Ankara Castle, Hacı Bayram Mosque and Temple of Augustus
• Ayaş 6 places Ayaş Hot Springs, Ayaş Castle and Ayaş Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami)
• Balâ 10 places Kesikköprü Dam, Afşar Höyüğü (Afşar Mound) and Yavaşlar Höyüğü (Yavaşlar Mound)
• Beypazarı 13 places Hırkatepe, Beypazarı Historic Houses and Taş Mektep (Stone School)
• Çamlıdere 13 places Şeyh Ali Semerkandi Tomb, Çamkoru Forest Camp and Çamlıdere Fossil Forest
• Çankaya 7 places Anıtkabir, Kocatepe Mosque and Cengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum
• Çubuk 10 places Karagöl Lake, 1402 Battle of Ankara Battlefield and Çubuk Dam (Çubuk-1 Dam)
• Elmadağ 4 places Vezir Pınarı Fountain, Elmadağ Ski Centre and Elmadağ Ammunition Factory Historic Site
• Etimesgut 5 places Eryaman Gölbaşı Park, Turkish Air Force Museum (Aviation Museum) and Etimesgut Atatürk Forest
• Evren 4 places Evren Castle Ruins, Evren Çayı Valley and Evren Central Mosque
• Gölbaşı 4 places Mogan Lake, Eymir Lake and Tulumtaş Cave
• Güdül 12 places Kirmir Stream Valley, Sorgun Pond and Güdül Canyon
• Haymana 7 places Haymana Thermal Baths, Gavurkale Ruins and Battle of Sakarya Historical National Park
• Kahramankazan 7 places Mürted Air Base, Kazan Museum and Saray Höyük
• Kalecik 5 places Kalecik Castle, Kızılırmak Valley and Hasbey Mosque
• Kızılcahamam 4 places Soğuksu National Park, Kızılcahamam Hot Springs and Martyrs' Tree
• Mamak 7 places Mount Hüseyin Gazi, Hatip River and Mamak Castle (Kayaş Castle)
• Nallıhan 9 places Sarıyar Dam, Nallıhan Bird Sanctuary (Davutoğlan Bird Sanctuary) and Rainbow Hills (Girl's Hill)
• Polatlı 10 places Gordion Ancient City, Battle of Sakarya and Gordion Ancient City (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Pursaklar 3 places Saray Köşkü Park, Pursaklar Municipality Culture Centre and Altınova Park
• Sincan 5 places Temelli, Sincan Tulip Festival Area and Temelli Mound
• Şereflikoçhisar 7 places Tuz Lake (Tuz Gölü), Koçhisar Castle and Şereflikoçhisar Castle
• Yenimahalle 5 places Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ), Ankara Zoo and 75th Year Ankara Hippodrome