Ankara River

The Ankara River, known as the Ankara Çayı, is a small tributary of the Sakarya River located west of Ankara, Turkey. Its primary tributary, the Çubuk Brook, divides the city into two parts and passes through numerous neighborhoods, with several bridges constructed over it, some completely enclosed in tunnels.

Historically significant, Ankara was established by the Hittites around 2000 BC near the river's banks. Alexander the Great conquered the city in 334 BC, establishing a key trading center there. Under Roman rule, Augustus made Ankara the capital of Galatia in 25 B.C., and it remained important during the Byzantine era. The Seljuk Turks captured the city in 1073, and Timur defeated Bayezid I near the river at the Battle of Ankara in 1402 by diverting water from the Çubuk Brook.

Facing severe pollution from sewage and industrial waste, the river is no longer viable for irrigation, though it is still used downstream. In response, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality launched a cleanup project in 2006, managed by ASKİ, aiming to connect the river to the city's sewer system, cover parts with tunnels, and rely solely on rainwater. This project aims to eliminate polluted irrigation issues and complete by 2020.