Etimesgut
Encyclopedia
Etimesgut or Etimesut, formerly Ahimesut, is a metropolitan district of Ankara Province
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
, mainly consisting of large public housing projects, 25 km (16 mi) from Ankara
city centre. According to 2010 census, population of Etimesgut is 386,879 . The district covers an area of 49 km² (19 sq mi), and the average elevation is 807 m (2,648 ft).
n settlement in the 8th century BC. Then of course the district began to share the history of the city of Ankara with its Lydians
, Persians, Galatia
ns, Ancient Romans, Byzantines
and finally Turks. Etimesgut is on the ancient Silk Road
to the orient, and still today the road and railway from Ankara to Istanbul
pass through the district.
Atatürk was fond of the area and would come here to ride horses and chat to the locals. He had a room in the building that is the public health laboratory today, and many other public buildings, including the hospital and the post office, that were built by his order still stand today.
Etimesgut began as a housing project of 50 homes ordered by Atatürk in 1924 to accommodate Turkish
refugees from Bulgaria
. From the 1950s, as poverty forced people to migrate from the countryside into the city much illegal housing gecekondu
was thrown up in this district. Some of this has been replaced by public housing projects such as Elvankent, Eryaman and Güzelkent and also military and civil service accommodation. However much gecekondu remains, inhabited by working class people from cities such as Erzurum
, many of whom commute to jobs in the city of Ankara. Almost all of the housing in Etimesgut is apartment buildings except the Guzelkent project. As building land in the city of Ankara is now impossible to find areas like this on the fringes of the city where building land is cheap are growing faster and faster.
The area has only the most basic shops and amenities. The Islamic terrorist organisation Hizbullah had a number of hidden cells here in the 1990s.
Public buildings include the sugar factory, the Turkish aviation authority headquarters at Etimesgut Airport and a military training camp.
The local football team Etimesgut Şekerspor
has had a chequered history, although in recent years has gained popularity by hiring former national team player Sergen Yalçın
.
Ankara Province
Ankara Province in central Turkey is the location of the country's capital, the city of Ankara.Ankara also gave its name to the Ottoman Empire's Ankara Province which covered a larger area than the current province.- Geography :...
in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, mainly consisting of large public housing projects, 25 km (16 mi) from Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
city centre. According to 2010 census, population of Etimesgut is 386,879 . The district covers an area of 49 km² (19 sq mi), and the average elevation is 807 m (2,648 ft).
History
Archaeological research shows habitation since 2000 BC, including a PhrygiaPhrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
n settlement in the 8th century BC. Then of course the district began to share the history of the city of Ankara with its Lydians
Lydians
The Lydians were the inhabitants of Lydia, a region in western Anatolia, who spoke the distinctive Lydian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian group....
, Persians, Galatia
Galatia
Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Galatia was named for the immigrant Gauls from Thrace , who settled here and became its ruling caste in the 3rd century BC, following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans in 279 BC. It has been called the "Gallia" of...
ns, Ancient Romans, Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and finally Turks. Etimesgut is on the ancient Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
to the orient, and still today the road and railway from Ankara to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
pass through the district.
Atatürk was fond of the area and would come here to ride horses and chat to the locals. He had a room in the building that is the public health laboratory today, and many other public buildings, including the hospital and the post office, that were built by his order still stand today.
Etimesgut began as a housing project of 50 homes ordered by Atatürk in 1924 to accommodate Turkish
Turks in Bulgaria
The Turks in Bulgaria number 588,318 people and constitute 8.8% of those who declared their ethnic group and 8.0% of the total population according to the 2011 Bulgarian census. 605,802 persons or 9.1% of the population pointed Turkish language as their mother tongue. They are also the largest...
refugees from Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. From the 1950s, as poverty forced people to migrate from the countryside into the city much illegal housing gecekondu
Gecekondu
Gecekondu is a Turkish word meaning a house put up quickly without proper permissions, a squatter's house, and by extension, a shanty or shack...
was thrown up in this district. Some of this has been replaced by public housing projects such as Elvankent, Eryaman and Güzelkent and also military and civil service accommodation. However much gecekondu remains, inhabited by working class people from cities such as Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
, many of whom commute to jobs in the city of Ankara. Almost all of the housing in Etimesgut is apartment buildings except the Guzelkent project. As building land in the city of Ankara is now impossible to find areas like this on the fringes of the city where building land is cheap are growing faster and faster.
The area has only the most basic shops and amenities. The Islamic terrorist organisation Hizbullah had a number of hidden cells here in the 1990s.
Public buildings include the sugar factory, the Turkish aviation authority headquarters at Etimesgut Airport and a military training camp.
The local football team Etimesgut Şekerspor
Etimesgut Sekerspor
Etimesgut Şeker SAŞ is a sports club in located in Ankara, Turkey. The football club plays in the TFF Second League.- External links :*...
has had a chequered history, although in recent years has gained popularity by hiring former national team player Sergen Yalçın
Sergen Yalçin
Ali Rıza Sergen Yalçın is a former Turkish footballer. The Turkish player who is recognised as one of the greatest footballers to play for Turkey....
.