What is the capital city of Turkey?

Ankara is the capital city of Turkey.

The city became Turkey’s capital on 13 October 1923, shortly before the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk made Ankara the center of the Turkish national movement during the Turkish War of Independence.

Ankara is in central Anatolia, while Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and its historic economic center. This distinction causes a common mix-up: Istanbul was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, but Ankara has been the capital of modern Turkey since 1923.

The city is also home to Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk, and Ankara Castle, a prominent landmark overlooking the old city. Its position in central Anatolia helps explain why it became a practical administrative center for the new republic.