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Polatlı is a district of Ankara Province of Turkey, 80 km west of the Turkish capital Ankara, on the road to Eskişehir. Elevation 850m. Area 3789 km². Population (2000) 116,400 of which 79,992 live in the town of Polatlı.
Polatlı is situated at the heart of the high Anatolian plateau, a large steppe covered with grass. Far from the coast, it has a typical steppes' climate. The winters are generally cold, the summers dry and dusty. The springs are the most humid times of the year. Polatlı is one of the most productive agricultural districts in Turkey and is best known for its cereal production, especially barley and wheat. Polatlı is one of Turkey's largest grain stores. Sugar beet, melon and onion are also grown.
The ancient Phrygian capital Gordion is 10 km from the town of Polatlı. On his expedition to the east, Alexander the Great cut the famous Gordian Knot, an omen of his coming rule over the whole Asia. Pessinus, an ancient city on the upper river Sangarios (modern day Sakarya River), is also within the borders of Polatlı. The mythological Phrygian King Midas is said to have ruled from Pessinus and to be buried here.
Polatlı also occupied an important place in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922 as the Battle of Sakarya (August 23-September 13, 1922) was fought here, the utmost eastern point reached by the invading Greek Army in Anatolia. There are two memorial burial grounds of those lost in the battle.
Today, Polatlı is an important district of Ankara on the main road which connects the capital to the west of Turkey. The town has a good range of restaurants, bars, schools and other important amenities but still a quiet rural feel to it, and little social life except cafes, patisseries and window shopping on a Sunday afternoon. There are car repair workshops but otherwise little industry. Polatlı is trying to become an independent province from Ankara and "we want to be a city" graffiti can be seen in the town.
There is a military base here and the Turkish Army Artillery School was established in Polatlı in the early 1940s and is still an important institution in the town.
Polatlıspor is a minor league football club that once climbed into the second league.
There is a large statue of a kangaroo on the maın road into town.