Gallipoli
GALLIPOLI - GELIBOLU YARIMADASI
Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek word Kallipolis, meaning ‘Beautiful City’. In the Byzantine Era, the city became heavily fortified, and important military warehouses was set up in exchange for grains and wine. In 1304 the Byzantines briefly lost control of the city to mercenaries known as Catalans. In fear of retaliation, this group of mercenaries quickly destroyed Gallipoli, leaving the city in ruins. Gallipoli Turkey tours are very popular, so make sure to book your tickets early. Gallipoli Turkey tourism can be fully booked at times due to high demand, so make sure to check with us for availability. Our tailor-made tours take you to see firsthand the major tourist attractions in Gallipoli, including nearby Troy which is a popular attraction. Gallipoli Turkey tourism has never been easier with Farout, find our Gallipoli Tour page here which includes some great package tours from Istanbul.
In 1354 Gallipoli was again further destroyed by an earthquake and mostly abandoned by people. This allowed the Turkish to reoccupy the area, with nearly 30,000 inhabitants. Gallipoli became an encampment site for British and French forces during the 1854 criminal war and again saw war during World War I. Today Gallipoli is a peaceful place covered in crushed and pine forests.
Gallipoli can be reached by plane, bus, ferry, or by Package Tour from Istanbul. More Info...
BATTLE OF GALLIPOLI
The Battle of Gallipoli took place between April 25, 1915, and January 9, 1916. The attack aimed to push through the Dardanelles Strait and gain control of Constantinople, the Turkish capital at the time and clear a supply path to Russia, unfortunately, the campaign was a disaster from beginning to end.
Early in the morning on the 25th of April 1915, two landings were made on the Gallipoli coast. The main force consisted of 35,000 troops under the command of Lieutenant General Hunter Weston, with a smaller force of 17,000 troops from Australia and New Zealand. The Australian and New Zealanders landed at what is now known as Anzac Cove, which was a mile north of their intended destination, an area deeply surrounded by cliffs.
The Anzacs quickly faced problems, when they met a Turkish counter-attack, commanded by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk. Before nightfall, there were at least 2,000 Anzac casualties and they were struggling to remain on the beach.
The allies remained on the beach for two weeks, losing one-third of their troops. In August another 25,000 troops landed, but unfortunately, the deadlock remained on the beach. The offensive was eventually called off in December and much of the failure was attributed to poor leadership from the British General, who chose to command the operation from his ship.
The Gallipoli campaign cost more than 100,000 Allied and Turkish lives, with another quarter of a million wounded. Throughout the battle, more than 90,000 people became sick with dysentery and frostbite, due to the unforeseen bloodshed and weather conditions.
The Gallipoli campaign boosted the career of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who became a national hero and founder of the modern Turkish state, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Ataturk repelled the allied forces and is known for telling his troops; ‘I do not command you to fight, I command you to die. In the time it will take us to die, we can be replenished by new forces.
ANZAC DAY
Each year a commemorative service is held on April 25. Government officials, war veterans, and many tourists travel to Turkey for the special dawn service at Gallipoli. More Info...