Governorship Of Çanakkale

The Gallipoli Historical National Park

The Gallipoli Historical National Park covers an area of 33,000 hectares of land. It is full of traces of the war and it is very significant in the recent history of Turkey. You can reach the National Park from Çanakkale by taking one of the car ferries to either Eceabat or Kilitbahir.
Throughout the Gallipoli Peninsula you come across monuments and cemeteries for the Turkish martyrs and the Allied forces. Thousand of the children and grandchildren of those Allied soldiers, especially the Australians and New Zealanders, who fought and died here come to visit every year to commemorate ANZAC Day on April 25. This great battle led to a firm friendship between the Turks and the Australians and New Zealanders; nations far from one another

How to visit the National Park?

For those who want to visit the Gelibolu Historical National Park on their own it can be quite difficult to see it everything. The best way to visit the site is to take one of the tours organised by the Çanakkale or Eceabat based travel agencies with professional guides.
However, for those who want to visit the region on their own they should consider starting from the Çanakkale Tanıtma Merkezi and Museum (the Gallipoli Promotion Centre and Museum) at Kabatepe or the Gelibolu Yarımadası Tarihi Milli Parkı Tanıtma Merkezi (The Gallipoli Peninsula Historical National Park Promotion Centre) near to Eceabat.
It would also be a good idea to take some food and water with you as there are few facilities inside the National Park, in particular at the ANZAC and Suvla sectors. In particular, families with children should pay attention to this warning

Starting from Eceabat

For those coming from Çanakkale, once can cross the Strait either directly to Eceabat or by private ferry to Kilitbahir, directly opposite Çanakkale at the narrowest point of the Dardanelles. The Ottoman Sultan Fatih Mehmet the Conqueror had a fortress built at Kilitbahir as part of his preparations to besiege the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. The purpose of this was to prevent the Latin navy that could have come to the help of the Byzantines. Since the castle was seen as the lock of the Marmara Sea it was named Kilitbahir (Lock of the Sea). The castle served a strong defence point in the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign.
The fortress, built in the shape of a clover leaf, is open to the public.
First stop, the National Park headquarters
If starting at Eceabat, after getting off the ferry, one can drive south following the coastal road for a kilometre before reaching the headquarters of Gallipoli Peninsula Historical National Park. This can be a good place to start your tour. In the grounds of the headquarters there is the grave of an unknown Ottoman captain and the ruins of the Çamburnu Castle, really a stone artillery position constructed in 1807. There is also a cafeteria at the headquarters that serves light meals

Park and Information Centres

Kabatepe Information Centre
The National Park centre at Kabatepe has a museum in which are displayed numerous relics from the campaign. These include weapons and ammunition, private belongings of those who fought in the war, letters and a collection of photographs and documents.
To visit the Kabatepe Information Centre at the beginning of your National Park tour would add an understanding of the other sites when seen later and the signs, names of memorials and monuments will be better taken in.

The Çamburnu National Park and Visitors Centre
The same recommendation stands for the Çamburnu National Park and Visitors Centre, one kilometre to the south of Eceabat. It has a most comprehensive display of information on the National Park and the Gallipoli Campaign. There is a small museum here with relics from the battlefields, photographs, maps and other war material on display. There is also a conference hall for briefings. When information is provided in the hall there is a slide and film presented. You can hit the road after you obtain the brochures and information on sites to see from here.

The Çanakkale War Monument
Above Morto Bay at Seddülbahir there is the 41.70 metre high monument built in memory of the Turkish martyrs of the Gallipoli Campaign. The monument, a representational cemetery for martyrs and a small museum are all together. The museum is in the gallery under the monument and has on display drawn plans of the Gallipoli Campaign and photographs from the war. In the glass cabinets you see all types of relics from the wars.