History of Ankara Phrygia, after an earthquake which severely damaged that city in antiquity. In Phrygian tradition, King Midas was venerated as the founder of Ancyra, but Pausanias mentions that the city was actually far older, in line with the present-day knowledge that we have on its history. There is the possibility that at the time Midas came the city was essentially unpopulated. In the same way by modern standards it could be argued that Ankara did not exist before Atatürk moved the capital of Turkey to the city, since its population before the capital came was almost non-existent in comparison to what
Altındağ, Ankara remains one of the poorer quarters of the capital. The hillside is covered with illegally built gecekondu housing, home to low-income families. Among the housing there are some municipal buildings, public housing, state housing for civil servants and lots of small workshops doing car repairs and other light mechanical work. The ancient Ankara Castle is in Altındağ and there has recently been investment in restoration work. With this architectural heritage, Altındağ is a member of the Norwich-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions. Altındağ includes parts of the historic city of Ankara, as well as the first National Assembly