Ankara City Chess

About Us

The leading cities in the world are introduced through the design of chess pieces comprised of monumental edifices that symbolize the architectural structure of these cities. The Ankara City Chess Set has been produced as a special edition with the aim of including Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, in the series of city chess sets among which are London Skyline Chess Set, Rotterdam City Chess, NY City Chess, etc.

Started by Akın Gökyay with the goal of providing Turkey and the chess world with a chess set that represents Ankara, “Ankara-Themed Chess Set” design contest was organized on 15 July 2016 with the support of Ankara Development Agency.

The contest was finalized on 28 February 2017, and the manufacturing of “Ankara-Themed Chess Set”, selected among the chess sets that became entitled to receive the award, was preceded.

The monumental edifices in the chess set that symbolize Ankara were determined entirely by the personal design approaches of the designers Abdullah Togay, Merve Coşkun, Ebru Gedik, M. Ferit Aydın who participated in the contest.

Ankara City Chess Set has been designed with the goal of reflecting Ankara’s architectural history and cultural heritage. The pieces of the set are comprised of building structures that reflect various periods of Ankara’s history.

HITTITE SUN COURSE - PAWN

The pawns of Ankara City Chess Set are represented by the HITTITE SUN COURSE.

The Sun Course represents the Hittite Civilization and its art. It is composed of elements placed around a circular structure symbolizing the sun. The Hittite Sun Course is one of the leading symbols of Ankara. Belonging to Hattians, an ancient Anatolian civilization discovered in Alacahöyük excavations, the Hittite Sun Course was selected as the emblem of the city in 1973 by the then-Mayor Vedat Dalokay. In 1978 the Hittite Sun Course monument was done by sculptor Nusret Suman and placed in Sıhhiye Square.

ANKARA CITADEL – ROOK

ANKARA CITADEL represents the rooks of Ankara City Chess Set.

It is not exactly known when the citadel, which dates back to the Galatians’ settling in Ankara and was restored during the Roman period, was built. The Byzantines constructed the inner fortification wall of the citadel, which is composed of two - namely inner and outer- parts, in the 7th century. It was damaged during the raids and restored by the Byzantines in the 9th century.

MAUSOLEUM - BISHOP

The bishops of Ankara City Chess Set are represented by MAUSOLEUM.

One of the works of the Second National Architecture movement, the Mausoleum is the memorial tomb where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Founder of our Republic who passed into eternity in 1938, was buried in 1953. Prof. Emin Onat and Orhan Arda designed mausoleum as a project and its construction was completed between 1944 and 1953.

KOCATEPE MOSQUE - KNIGHT

KOCATEPE MOSQUE represents the knights of Ankara City Chess Set.

The foundations of the mosque, which was conceptualized as a project by Architect Vedat Dalokay, were initially laid in 1963. The project work for the mosque was then overtaken by Hüsrev Tayla and Fatin Uluengin as the mosque was designated to be built in an area of 4500 m2 as a result of a new contest, its construction starting all over again on 30 October 1967. A decision was passed on 15 March 1981 to transfer the construction to Turkish Religious Foundation, and the mosque was finally opened on 28 August 1987.

SHERATON ANKARA HOTEL – QUEEN

SHERATON ANKARA HOTEL represents the queen of Ankara City Chess Set.

Designed by German architecture company "Gerkan, Marg and Partners" in 1991, the hotel is composed of a skyscraper (hotel tower) and a congress building.

Having a total height of 143 m and 29 floors, Sheraton Ankara Hotel used to be the tallest skyscraper of Ankara between 1991 and 2009 and of the whole Central Anatolia Region between 1991 and 2006.

ATAKULE TOWER– KING

The king of Ankara City Chess Set is represented by ATAKULE, a 125m tall circular structure designed by Architect Ragıp Buluç and completed on 13 October 1989.