CANAKKALE

Canakkale is a land of history and beautiful resorts on the shores of the Dardanelles where the Marmara sea ends and the Aegean sea begins.

Canakkale downtown is not suitable for swimming; you have to go to Guzelyali where you can reach with dolmuses from the hotels in city center. You may also lodge directly in Guzelyali, at hotels with quite moderate prices fit for almost every budget.

Canakkale is a town rich in history. The two apex points of this long record are the Trojan Wars narrated by Homer in iliad and the Canakkale Gallipoli Wars.

Initially set up around 3000 BC, Troy was constantly destroyed and rebuilt at the same place for 3500 years, until Ad 500. Because the town was rebuilt at the same location for nine times consecutively, archaeological excavations carried out here have been significantly revealing. The town you see today by departing from the Canakkale-izmir route at the 30th km and travelling further for 4 km, is Troy VI. Troy VII. which was immediately built on the waste of the former which had been destroyed by an earthquake, is Priam's Troy, vanquished by the Achaeans with the help of the famous Wooden horse trick. this was, initiated by the Achaeans to plunder the riches of Troy is the symbolic first of a series of wars of exploitation between the west and the east. Not able to attain their objective by sheer force, Achaeans vanquished troy though cunning, a ruse de guerre;the Wooden Horse.

Another big fight was the Canakkale Naval and Land Battles, which took place during the WW I (1915). 500 000 soldiers and a huge united armada took part in the attack which the Allied Powers organized with the objective of conquering Istanbul and reaching the Black Sea but who eventually lost 213 000 of their soldiers and a sizeable part of their armada after 11-months' protacted war. Among the commanders of the Ottoman Army, which stood against the onslaught was the Staff Lieutenant- Colonel Mustafa Kemal who, with his keen strategical intuitions and staunch leadership, was singularly crucial in abording the allies' efforts to archieve their war objective.

The Victory Memorial, visible from kilometers away, soars to the blue skies on the Hisarlik Cape with a height of 40 m. On and around the Gelibolu Peninsula(Gallipoli), there are other monuments built for the Turkish and foreign soldiers and cemeteries built for the Amzacs;Australian, English and New Zealander soldiers. Offspring of Anzac soldiers who fought here and those few fighters who managed to remain alive so far, come and visit this place every year. April 25 is known as the ANZAC's Day here in Turkey. The same day is National Holiday in Australia and New Zealand in memory of the event.

Gelibolu National Park spreads over an area of 33 hectares and is filled with memories and deep scars of that war. Commuting from Canakkale to Kilitbahir is quite easy by ferry or taxi boats.

There are a number of picnic areasin the surrondings.Balaban Cesmesi(Fountain) has a historical brunt besides the famous broiled lamb and kidlings. You may visit this olace and have a good lunch anytime from the beginning of May till the end of September.

CANAKKALE MUSEUMS

The Canakkale Museum of Archaeology

Izmir Cad. Tel:217 32 52-217 65 65 Open 08:30-12:30/13:30-17:30 except Mondays On display:Fossil found in the environment, finds of various ages beginning with those of early Bronze Age. Canakkale ceramics.

The Bayramic Hadimogullari Mansion

Bayramic, Canakkale, Efforts, continue to open the museum-house to public.

The Ayvacik-Adatepe Museum House, Mehmet Aga Mansion

Ayvacik Ilcesi, Adatepe Koyu Open 08:30-12:30/13:30-17:30 except Mondays. A fine specimen of Turkish Domestic Architecture. Interior and exterior walls fine stylusornamentations.

Salim Mutlu Battle Relics Museum

Salim mutlu Evi, Alcitepe Koyu, Gelibolu, Relics of the Battle of the Dardanelles, army uniforms ammunitions etc.