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The
World War I battle for control
of the Dardanelles (Hellespont)
strait was fought mainly on Turkey's Gallipoli
peninsula, with appalling casualties.
Around 100,000 were killed and
400,000 wounded during the nine-month
campaign (1915-1916).
You
can visit the battlefields on an
excursion
from Istanbul by car or
bus,
even in
one day on your
own, or with a tour organized
by
Backpackers
Travel.
Another
way is on a six-day
self-drive tour from Istanbul via
the Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Çanakkale, Troy, Bergama
(Pergamum), Ephesus and Kusadasi. (More...)
For private tours to Turkey and other
eastern Mediterranean countries such
as Greece and/or Egypt, consult my
friends at Travel
in Style.
Invading
armies and navies have coveted the
strategic Dardanelles strait
since the days of the Trojans because
it controls sea traffic between the Black
Sea, the Sea
of Marmara, and the Aegean/Mediterranean.
At only 1.2 km wide at its narrowest
point (Kilitbahir), and over 100
meters deep, it's also the key to Istanbul:
warships that could get through the
Dardanelles could easily train their
guns on the sultan's
palace in Istanbul.
The
British navy wanted very much to
get its battleships through the Dardanelles
and attack Constantinople to
knock the Ottoman
Empire, an ally of the Central
Powers, out of the war.
Ottoman
forces, some of whom were commanded
by Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa
Kemal (later Atatürk)
knew that if they did, it might mean
the conquest of their country.
Today,
the Gallipoli battlefields are silent,
preserved as a national park strewn
with marble and bronze monuments,
among the most emotionally touching
places to visit in Turkey.
You
can visit the Gallipoli battlefields and nearby Troy from Istanbul on
an excursion by
bus or by
car.
Several
companies run tours of
the battlefields, with knowledgeable
guides. If you don't have your
own car, it's best to take a tour
because the battlefields are spread
out.
You
could hike around
here for a day and see a lot, but
with a tour you get to see it all,
enjoy a leisurely lunch, and take
a swim as well! Bicycle would
be a good way to tour, but no place
rents decent bikes, as far as I know.
The
best base for visits to Gallipoli,
the Dardanelles and Troy is
the town of Çanakkale,
on the Dardanelles' southern shore. Eceabat,
on the northern shore, is closer,
but has fewer accommodations.
The
nearest major airport is Istanbul,
although Çanakkale has
a small airfield to which charter "taxi
flights" can be arranged from Istanbul.
If
you plan to attend the annual Anzac
Day commemorations (April
24th & 25th), plan and reserve
well in advance!
Distances & Travel
Times
Çanakkale: ferry & taxi,
about 30 minutes (from Kabatepe Information
Center & Museum)
Edirne: 220
km (137 miles) N, 3-3/4 hours
Istanbul: 340
km (211 miles) E, 6 hours
Izmir: 360
km (224 miles) S, 6 hours
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