Keçiören

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Keçiören is a urban district of Ankara Province in Turkey, a crowded district in the northern part of the city of Ankara. Population 625,167 (2000). Area 58.66 km².

The Çubuk River runs through the middle of the district.

Contents

[edit] Etymology

The name Keçiören comes from the Turkish for a type of felt footwear that used to be made in the area.

[edit] Politics

Until the 1950s this was a green and pleasant area outside the city, but in recent years has become a large district of housing for Ankara's working class, a stronghold of Turkish nationalism, inhabited by very conservative people and covered in Islamic or nationalist graffiti. The Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan has his Ankara residence here.

Since the 1990s Keçiören Municipality has been controlled by a series of right-wing/Islamist parties notable for such activities as establishing a private police force called the "A team" to patrol the district to "warn" people of effects of behaviours such as drinkng alcohol or being seen in public with a girl or boyfriend. However they are bringing the metro system to the area.

[edit] Prominent neighbourhoods

  • Etlik - on high gound overlooking the city of Ankara (in fact much of Keçiören has good cityscapes, especially at night), inhabited by rough right-wing types.

[edit] Places of interest

  • Atatürk's headquarters during the Turkish War of Independence today used by the department of meteorology.
  • The current administration has made efforts to decorate the mass of dull concrete that the area mainly consists of. Their buildings include; a huge artificial waterfall and many other pools and fountains; a concrete replica of the Hungarian Esztergom Castle and a park where women ın tight sportswear and Islamic headscarfs can go for walks.

[edit] Notable natives

  • Long-term mayor, the curiously-bearded Turgut Altınok.
  • Kick-boxing champion Selahattin Bıyıklı.

[edit] Keçiören children's games

To many Turkish people the name Keçiören evokes a popular children's TV outdoor game show (similar to the British It's a Knockout) of the 1980s, which was recorded here.

[edit] Sister Cities

The following places are sister cities to Keçiören:


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