Ayaş, Ankara Ayaş, Ankara Ayaş is a town and district of Ankara Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, 58 km from the city of Ankara which is very rich for historical monuments. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 21,239 of which 7,839 live in the urban center of Ayaş. The district covers an area of , and the average elevation is . The district is known for its mulberry trees, its tasty tomatoes and its healing mineral water spas, both for drinking and bathing. There is an annual mulberry festival in the town of Ayaş. The town
Ankara city center of Ankara belonged to the Hattic civilization which existed during the Bronze Age and was gradually absorbed c. 2000–1700 BC by the Indo-European Hittites. The city grew significantly in size and importance under the Phrygians starting around 1000 BC, and experienced a large expansion following the mass migration from Gordion, (the capital of Phrygia), after an earthquake which severely damaged that city around that time. In Phrygian tradition, King Midas was venerated as the founder of Ancyra, but Pausanias mentions that the city was actually far older, which accords with present archaeological knowledge. Phrygian rule was succeeded first