The Ibnu Al Battutah's Apprentice: Ankara Citadel, Ulus, Ankara

Walking on the cobblestone pavement through the staggering and slanting domino-like shops while climbing uphill made me feel as if I were in the 18th century Turkey. Thanks to Allah for giving me tough legs but to reach the citadel (hisar) at the peak of the hill (tepe) wasn't as easy as you think. It was quite challenging and in fact I had burned a lot of my calories. I was in Ulus, Ankara to visit the remains of the citadel belongs to the ancient Anatolian Hitties. Local people here said that this is the old city of Ankara. Old city? How old is it? Some people outside Turkey including myself (when I was 10) might say that the capital and the oldest city of Turkey is Istanbul. This citadel had proven me wrong. According to some sources, the history of this citadel back to 3000 years ago. At this age, this citadel had witnessed the rise and fall of many kingdoms in Ankara. Basically it wasn't a big fortress. Standing at the highest tier of the citadel, you could see Ankara city in a stunning 360° view. What more? Vertigo of course!. No handrails or safety caution, it was a risky and perilous visit. To the north, there is a big castle which is not far from this citadel. I believe this citadel was built to support in defending the castle from any attack from the south. It reminds me the St. John Fort in Malacca which was built to support the defense of Kota Melaka. Back-to-Back strategy as always. Adjacent to the main gate you could find the Rahmi M. Koç museum. Anybody who want to hear Kemal Ataturk recorded voice or see some of his belongings, just visit this museum. There are more than that in this museum. Build atop of the hill, this citadel was surrounded by houses, mini hotels and shops with network of streets. You could buy some souvenirs here. Colourful ceramic lamps, bead bracelets and necklace, carpet, sajdah, Turkish tarbus, Turkish metal crafts, nuts and spices were the options. You could bargain at some shops while some of them had fixed their price. If you an opportunity to be in Ankara, I would like to suggest to visit this place. The entrance is free.What you need is stamina and energy. Güle-güle!