Ankara Roman Baths and the Column of Julian: Tracing Rome in the Heart of Ulus

Amid the traffic and everyday movement of Ankara’s Ulus district, two ancient monuments preserve glimpses of another world. One is the remains of a large Roman bathhouse, where people once washed, exercised and gathered. The other is a slender column rising above a historic square, its weathered capital bearing witness to centuries of change.

They stand a short distance apart, yet each tells a different part of the city’s long history.

The Roman Baths and the Column of Julian reveal a side of Ankara that existed long before it became the capital of modern Türkiye. Together, they offer a rewarding introduction to ancient Ancyra, Roman public architecture and the relationship between the empire and its Anatolian cities.

Where Are the Roman Baths in Ankara?

The Roman Baths Open-Air Museum and Archaeological Site is located on Çankırı Avenue in the Altındağ district, along the route from Ulus Square towards Yıldırım Beyazıt Square. It is approximately 400 metres from Ulus Square.

The remains stand slightly above the present-day road level. What you see today is only part of a much larger complex. The bathhouse is generally dated to the early third century CE, during the reign of Emperor Caracalla. Coins and other archaeological finds support this dating.

The baths are associated with Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of healing. This connection helps explain why such a building could have meant more than a place to wash. In the Roman world, bathing, physical exercise, health and social life often came together within the same public complex.

The Roman Baths: Architecture of Water, Heat and Everyday Life

Walking among the surviving foundations and walls, it takes a little imagination to picture the site at the height of its use. People would have moved between different rooms, exercised in the open courtyard and entered areas designed for different temperatures.

Roman bathhouses were not simply places for washing. In many cities, they were important public spaces where people exercised, spent time and took part in social life.

Ankara’s Roman Baths had two principal sections: the palaestra, an open area used for physical exercise, and the enclosed bathing complex. The bathhouse included spaces associated with cold, warm and hot bathing, along with water storage, service areas and heating infrastructure.

The remains visible today do not reproduce the building’s original grandeur in full. Yet they still allow visitors to understand the basic arrangement. Look closely at the foundations and the relationships between the different sections, and the engineering becomes easier to appreciate. The achievement was not simply the scale of the building, but the systems that allowed such a large complex to function.

An Older Ankara Beneath the Roman Baths

One of the most intriguing aspects of the site is that its history extends beyond the Roman period. Archaeological excavations have revealed traces of Phrygian settlement beneath the Roman layers, along with evidence of later Byzantine use. Finds from subsequent periods also contribute to the history of the area.

The site is therefore more than a single Roman monument. The same ground was used by different communities across different centuries. Buildings changed, purposes evolved and the landscape continued to hold significance.

Around the open-air museum, inscriptions, funerary stelae and architectural fragments help make this layered past visible. Some once belonged to buildings; others commemorated people or preserved details of their identities and communities.

An inscription may look like little more than unfamiliar lettering today. For the person who commissioned it, however, it could have preserved a name, a memory or a message intended to endure. The open-air museum brings these individual traces together into a broader story of ancient Ankara.

The Column of Julian: A Monument Above the Streets of Ulus

For another glimpse of the city’s Roman past, head towards the Column of Julian. Also popularly known in Turkish as the Belkıs Minaresi, this monument is one of the most distinctive historic landmarks in Ulus.

The column stands in a small square near the former Governor’s Office area. Rising approximately 15 metres, it has a cylindrical shaft built above a square base and is crowned with a Corinthian-style capital. Its combination of brick and stone gives it a different appearance from the familiar image of a classical marble column.

The monument is traditionally associated with the visit of Roman Emperor Julian to Ankara in 362 CE. It is thought to have been erected in connection with that visit, although this explanation should be presented as a historical interpretation rather than an entirely certain fact.

Julian ruled the Roman Empire from 361 to 363 CE. During his reign, Ankara remained an important city within the Roman world of Anatolia. The column’s survival offers a rare reminder of the city’s place in imperial history.

The monument’s location has also changed over time, according to historical accounts. Looking at the column, therefore, means thinking not only about Roman Ankara but also about the changing urban landscape through which the monument has survived.

Why Is It Called the Belkıs Minaret?

The name Belkıs Minaresi is a popular local name for the Column of Julian. Despite the word minaret, the structure is not a mosque minaret. It is a historic column.

Local names can reveal how monuments become part of a city’s collective memory. Sometimes a popular name survives long after the original purpose of a structure has been forgotten. Such names are part of local heritage, but they should be distinguished from the monument’s historical identification and architectural function.

When you stand in front of the column, look at the modern buildings and daily city life around it. Its significance lies not only in its age, but also in the way it remains part of contemporary Ankara.

Practical Tips for Visiting the Roman Baths and Column of Julian

How much time should you allow?

Allow around 45–60 minutes to explore the Roman Baths at a comfortable pace. The Column of Julian is a shorter stop. Combine the two with other historic sites in Ulus for a more complete walking route.

When is the best time to visit?

Because the Roman Baths are an outdoor archaeological site, mild, dry weather can make exploring more comfortable. In summer, bring sun protection and water. In colder months, be prepared for wind across the open grounds.

What should you keep in mind?

Follow the designated paths at the archaeological site. Do not climb walls, move stones or cross conservation barriers. At the Column of Julian, be aware of pedestrians and traffic around the square when taking photographs.

Is the Museum Pass valid?

The official museum information states that the MuseumPass is valid for eligible Turkish citizens at the Roman Baths site. Entry conditions can change, so confirm the latest information before visiting.

What are the opening hours?

Officially published opening times may change seasonally. Check the current schedule before setting out.

What else can you see nearby?

Ulus offers several opportunities to explore Ankara’s historic centre. If time allows, consider adding the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara Castle and other nearby heritage sites to your itinerary.

Why Explore Ankara’s Roman Past?

Ankara’s story did not begin when the Turkish Republic was founded. Beneath the modern streets, public squares and busy city life lie traces of a settlement shaped by many different periods.

The Roman Baths reveal the everyday side of this history: a public place for bathing, exercise and social interaction. The Column of Julian offers another perspective, connecting the city with imperial history, monumental architecture and the changing memory of its streets.

Seeing the two together helps you understand ancient Ankara not as a single ruin, but as a story assembled from different surviving pieces.

At the Roman Baths, you imagine the lives that once filled the spaces between the stones. Beneath the Column of Julian, you return to the Ankara of today. The city has changed, but these monuments keep its connection with the past in plain sight.