Turkey’s capital city, Ankara, is a soulful one lying atop the flat plains of the Anatolia region. A thick layer of history is sheathed on it, its founding dating back to the Stone Age and many civilizations rearing up in the following Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman reigns. The signs of all this magnificent past throng the city, through the historic, exquisite architecture, like Ankara Castle and the Anitkabir, the Byzantine citadel and Roman monuments, all reflections of Turkish history. Interspersed in them are also modern structures, a seamless blend into the present and making it look cosmopolitan rather than stuck in the past. Not just history, political and cultural overtones are also strong in the city. While it is known as the symbol of Turkish War of Independence, where the revolution started, the museums and art galleries and theaters, like the Museum of Anatolian Civilization, State Opera and Ballet, a throbbing center of performing arts as well as the government.