Ankara
Located near the geographical center of Turkiye, Ankara is situated in the Central Anatolia Region. With a population of 5,803,482 (TÜİK 2023), a surface area of 24,521 km², and an elevation of 938 meters, the city has a steppe climate. In terms of population and economy, it is the second-largest city in Turkiye after Istanbul.
Located near the geographical center of Turkiye, Ankara is situated in the Central Anatolia Region. With a population of 5,803,482 (TÜİK 2023), a surface area of 24,521 km², and an elevation of 938 meters, the city has a steppe climate. In terms of population and economy, it is the second-largest city in Turkiye after Istanbul.
With a known history dating back at least 10,000 years, Ankara has been home to many civilizations throughout history, including the Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans.
Ankara was declared the capital of Turkiye on October 13, 1923. In 1984, along with Istanbul and Izmir, it was granted metropolitan municipality status.
In addition to being the capital, Ankara also holds the distinction of being the city where the Republic of Turkiye was founded.
Current Logo
Rather than focusing on a traditional city logo, the design criteria were established with an emphasis on Ankara’s capital city status.
Within this framework:
• Instead of cultural or touristic symbols typically found in standard city logos, symbols that reinforce the perception of a capital were preferred,
• The symbols featured in the logo aim to represent both the city of Ankara and the shared values of the Republic of Turkiye,
• As a municipal logo, it was also designed to stand out from other bureaucratic corporate identities within the city — which traditionally use the color red,
• A modern and minimal design aligned with current design trends was targeted, ensuring that the logo remains suitable for future small-scale revisions.
• The symbols featured in the logo aim to represent both the city of Ankara and the shared values of the Republic of Turkiye,
• As a municipal logo, it was also designed to stand out from other bureaucratic corporate identities within the city — which traditionally use the color red,
• A modern and minimal design aligned with current design trends was targeted, ensuring that the logo remains suitable for future small-scale revisions.
In line with these criteria, the emblem features the crescent and star from the Turkish flag to represent the independence of the Republic of Turkiye; the entrance gate of the old Parliament building, which symbolizes the institutionalization of the Republic and is one of Ankara’s key landmarks; Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkiye; 25 stars symbolizing Ankara’s 25 districts; and one additional star representing Ankara’s identity as the capital city.
Stylistically, the emblem has been designed in a monochrome and linear format in accordance with contemporary design trends. Shadows have also been incorporated to add depth and enhance the visibility of the emblem's symbols.
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality
T.C.: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (Republic of Turkiye)
T.C.: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (Republic of Turkiye)
The text "T.C. Ankara Büyükşehir Belediyesi" (Republic of Turkiye, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality), which will appear below or beside the emblem, is composed of a typographic layout that blends serif and sans-serif fonts. The protrusions at the top of the letters in the word "Ankara" are inspired by the silhouette of Anıtkabir, establishing visual harmony between the emblem and the typography, thereby creating unity throughout the entire logo.
As stated above, a shade of blue named “Ankara Midnight Blue” was used to distinguish Ankara from other bureaucratic corporate identities. This blue tone also offers a strong opportunity to challenge the perception of Ankara as a “gray city” in future institutional branding. The HEX color code of the logo carries a symbolic meaning. The primary color code is defined as #1923AA. The number 1923 represents the founding year of the Republic and the year Ankara was declared the capital. The letters AA refer to the first and last letters of the word “Ankara,” representing the city’s name. The meanings of the other two colors are explained in detail below.
