Take01
2010-2013
Behzat Ç. Bir Ankara Polisiyesi (TV series)
Shot on location across Ankara, with only episodes 32 and 37 filmed in Istanbul; the series built its identity on the real city rather than studio sets
39.9334°N, 32.8597°E
Ankara
Turkey's capital films as itself, not as a stand-in: a citadel quarter, restored Ottoman streets, Republican monuments and a new UNESCO site, with the General Directorate of Cinema headquartered in Ulus and military-run landmarks that need long lead times.
Scroll
Scene 01 — Filmed Here
Notable Productions in Ankara
Take02
annual
10 November commemoration broadcasts
Anıtkabir, where broadcasters film the ceremonies on request to the Anıtkabir Command
Scene 02 — Locations
Filming Locations in Ankara
From landmark monuments to hidden quarters — every district scouted and permit-mapped.
landmark
Ankara Castle and the Citadel Quarter
The citadel above Ulus, with the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations on its southern side. It gives historic exteriors in the capital without the military controls that apply to Anıtkabir.
Anıtkabir (Atatürk Mausoleum)
The mausoleum of the Republic's founder. The Anıtkabir Command sets the rules for photo and film shooting; broadcasters film the 10 November ceremonies on request.
Strict
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
In Atpazarı, Ulus, housed in the Ottoman Mahmut Paşa bedesten and Kurşunlu Han. Named European Museum of the Year in 1997 and fully reopened in 2014 after renovation.
Complex
Hamamönü
Restored Ottoman-era streets in Altındağ, recognised with the FIJET Golden Apple in 2012, beside streets that are still abandoned.
Moderate
Eymir Lake (ODTÜ)
A lake on the Middle East Technical University campus, open to walkers and cyclists, with vehicle limits on busy days.
Moderate
Gordion (Polatlı)
The Phrygian capital, including the Tumulus MM attributed to King Gordios, father of Midas. Inscribed by UNESCO in September 2023 as Türkiye's 20th World Heritage Site.
Complex
Beypazarı
A district town about 100–110 km north-west of Ankara on the old Ankara–Istanbul road, known for bay-windowed Ottoman houses.
Moderate
Ulus and Ankara Castle
The citadel hill and the old commercial quarter below it, home to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and to the General Directorate of Cinema on Anafartalar Caddesi.
Hamamönü (Altındağ)
About 300 historic houses restored by Altındağ Municipality, winner of Türkiye's EDEN title in 2011. Some neighboring streets remain unrestored, which gives before-and-after contrast within a block.
Anıtkabir
Atatürk's mausoleum, administered by the Anıtkabir Command under the General Staff and Ministry of National Defence. Every shoot is a military-permission process.
The Government Quarters
Ministries, public institutions and military buildings. Each building owner grants its own permission, and drone flights around military facilities fall in SHGM red zones.
ODTÜ Campus and Eymir Lake
Eymir Lake lies on the Middle East Technical University campus. Pedestrians and cyclists enter freely, but vehicles are restricted on busy days and filming needs the university's permission.
Polatlı (Gordion) and Beypazarı
Gordion, the Phrygian capital, became Ankara province's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. Beypazarı, about 100–110 km north-west on the old Istanbul road, is known for its bay-windowed Ottoman houses.
Scene 03 — The Case for Ankara
Why Film in Ankara
- ✓The General Directorate of Cinema, which issues every foreign filming permit, has its office in Ulus, so permit questions are answered in the same city you shoot in
- ✓Up to 30% Foreign Film Production Support on Ministry-accepted spend in Türkiye, applied for by a Turkish co-producer or service company through e-Devlet
- ✓Foreign producers reclaim Turkish VAT (20%) on permit-period spend; Ankara Başkent is one of the three tax offices that handle the claim
- ✓TOBB, the guarantor for ATA Carnets in Türkiye, is headquartered in Ankara
- ✓Gordion (UNESCO, 2023), the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Beypazarı's Ottoman streets give heritage settings within reach of the city
- ✓The Ankara Film Festival, now in its 37th edition (12–20 November 2026), anchors the city's own film community
Scene 04 — Logistics
Transport & Logistics
AirportsESB (The capital's main airport; budget a road transfer into Ulus or Çankaya)▼
Ankara Esenboğa Airport (ESB) — The capital's main airport; budget a road transfer into Ulus or Çankaya
Production vanPrivate transferRental carTaxi
Local Transitcar · taxi▼
car
Production vehicles are the practical choice for kit, and essential for Gordion, Beypazarı and the ODTÜ campus.
Crew tip: In December–February, plan for snow and ice on the road to out-of-town locations and keep a weather day in the schedule.
taxi
Handy for crew moves inside the city when vans are committed to kit.
Crew tip: Keep addresses in Turkish for drivers.
Production Parkingmoderate · Permits required▼
Parking near ministries and public buildings is controlled by the institutions themselves, not just the municipality.
Production vehicle positions are agreed in the governorship location permission; anything on institutional land needs that body's consent.
Getting Between Locations▼
Drone work is the constraint to plan first: SHGM treats airspace around military buildings and facilities as red zones, and foreign operators apply through diplomatic channels at least 20 business days ahead under the rules still applied while the July 2026 drone instruction is phased in. Note the national holidays too: Kurban Bayramı falls on 16–19 May 2027, when public offices close.
Ready?
Plan Your Ankara Shoot
From permits and crew to equipment and logistics — we handle everything on the ground so you can focus on capturing the Anatolian capital.