Gallipoli Peninsula

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Overview

Today, the Gallipoli (Gelibolu) Peninsula battlefields are protected landscapes covered in pine forests and fringed by idyllic beaches and coves. However, the bloody battles fought here in 1915 are still alive in Turkish and foreign memories and hold important places in the Turkish, Australian and New Zealand national narratives. Australians and New Zealanders view the peninsula, now protected as the Gallipoli Campaign Historic Site, as a place of pilgrimage, and visit in their tens of thousands each year; they are outnumbered by Turks who, drawn by the legend of the courageous 57th regiment and its commander, Mustafa Kemal (the future Atatürk), also travel here in ever-increasing numbers to pay their respects.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Kilitbahir Castle Museum

Gallipoli Peninsula

Reopened in 2019 as a museum focussing on Ottoman and maritime history, this sprawling castle was originally built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 and…

Gallipoli Campaign Historic Site

Gallipoli Peninsula

Set within the 33,500 hectares of the Gallipoli Peninsula, this historic site protects the cemeteries and battlefields of the Anzac campaign. There are…

Çanakkale Epic Promotion Centre

Gallipoli Peninsula

If visiting Gallipoli independently, it's a good idea to start your tour at this high-tech museum roughly 1km east of the village of Kabatepe. It…

Lone Pine Cemetery

Gallipoli Peninsula

Lone Pine is perhaps the most moving of all the Anzac cemeteries. Australian forces captured the Turkish positions here on the afternoon of 6 August 1915…

W Beach

Gallipoli Peninsula

Little-visited W Beach, 1.5km west of Seddülbahir, was one of the main British landing beaches. It's famous for the 'six VCs before breakfast', referring…

French War Memorial & Cemetery

Gallipoli Peninsula

The rarely visited French cemetery is extremely moving, with rows of metal crosses and five white-concrete ossuaries each containing the bones of 3000…

Chunuk Bair New Zealand Cemetery & Memorial

Gallipoli Peninsula

Chunuk Bair (Conk Bayiri in Turkish) was the first objective of the Allied landing in April 1915, and is now the site of of this cemetery and memorial,…