The festival will bring nine days of cultural, artistic and gastronomic events to different parts of Ankara.
Ankara will host the 19th stop of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival from Sept. 19 to 27.
The festival will highlight Ankara’s cultural heritage, from the ancient city of Gordion and Ankara Castle to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the Temple of Augustus, the Roman Baths and Hamamönü, as well as landmarks of the Republican era.
Gordion, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, will be among the festival’s key stops, highlighting the multilayered history of Anatolia.
Events will be held at venues including CSO Ada Ankara, the Ankara State Painting and Sculpture Museum, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the Ethnography Museum, the Republic Museum, the PTT Stamp Museum, the MTA Şehit Cuma Dağ Natural History Museum, the Türkiye İş Bank Economic Independence Museum, the Turkish Aeronautical Association Museum, the July 15 Democracy Museum, the Ankara Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and Adnan Ötüken Provincial Public Library.
The program will feature exhibitions, talks, panels, museum tours and workshops covering a wide range of artistic disciplines.
Gastronomy will be another major component of the festival, with more than 50 “Flavor Points” offering visitors a chance to discover Ankara’s regional cuisine.
Local specialties including Ankara-style pan-fried meat, Ankara simit, Beypazarı casserole, Beypazarı dry biscuits, Çubuk pickles, İnceğiz soup, öllüğün körü, efelek dolma and bazlama will feature on the gastronomic route.
The program will also highlight regional products such as Beypazarı carrots, Çubuk sour cherries and Ankara pears, as well as culinary traditions from districts including Beypazarı, Çubuk, Kalecik and Kızılcahamam.
Chef Mehmet Yalçınkaya will host the festival’s gastronomy program, joined by guest chefs and food culture specialists including Cüneyt Asan, academic Asuman Kerkez, Doğa Çitçi, Sezai Ömer Erdoğan, Zeki Açıköz, Kemal Can Yurttaş, food and agricultural culture researcher Kübra Yüzüncüyıl, food culture writer Aylin Öney Tan, Bedrettin Aydoğdu and Gökhan Aksoy.
Başkent Millet Bahçesi will be one of the main gathering points during the festival evenings. Concerts spanning classical music, jazz, traditional and world music will be held at venues across the city, particularly CSO Ada Ankara.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, National Arab Orchestra, Kerem Görsev Trio feat. Engin Recepoğulları, Aytaç Doğan Quartet and Dolapdere Big Gang & Hüsnü Şenlendirici are among the performers on the program.
Other programs will include FotoMaraton Ankara, guided museum tours, the third Gordion International Archaeofilm Festival and African food and coffee workshops.
The Archaeofilm Festival will explore Gordion’s historical and archaeological heritage through films and documentaries.
At the Turkish Aeronautical Association Museum, visitors will also be able to experience a virtual parachute jump using a VR headset simulator.
