Parmak Kapı, Ankara Kalesi

Parmak Kapı, or 'Finger Gate', is the main entrance to Ankara Castle, the hilltop citadel overlooking the old town of the Turkish capital. It is also known locally as Saatli Kapı, the 'Clock Gate', because a tall octagonal tower bearing a public clock rises from one of its bastions beside the gate passage. Walking through the gate brings visitors into a small square centred on a fountain and ringed by restored traditional Ottoman houses, many now used as cafes and craft shops. The gate forms part of the castle's defensive circuit, which traces its origins to Phrygian and Galatian fortifications later rebuilt by Romans, Byzantines, and Seljuks; the structure seen today belongs mainly to the Byzantine and Seljuk rebuilding of the site. As the castle's most used access point, Parmak Kapı also serves as the usual starting point for exploring Ankara's historic citadel neighbourhood.