Çanakkale

Çanakkale is located along the Dardanelles strait whose shores touch both Europe and Asia continents while connecting the Marmara and the Aegean Sea. Anyone who controlled this gateway commanded a strategically key point in history of Europe simply because the city has always been a crossing land for armies, traders and people migrating. The European part of the city is formed by the Gallipoli peninsula, while the Asian part is largely coterminous with the historic region of Troas (Troy) in Anatolia.

The strategic importance has stimulated the popularity of Çanakkale province as the homeland of many civilizations and critical battles throughout the centuries. While the Trojan War could be given as an historical example, one other could be the Battle of Gallipoli which took place during the World War I. While in Turkish history this is perceived as a turning point for Turkish independence war, it is also remembered as the first major battle of Australian and New Zealand history as it was attended by a joint military formation, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). In addition to ANZAC day, the ruins of Troy have always been a stop for millions of visitors.