Gallipoli Battlefields

Gallipoli Battlefields

The Gallipoli Peninsula is a site of pilgrimage and remembrance for many foreign visitors. It is a place to honor and commemorate the Allied forces who landed here during World War I, mainly representing Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India, and France. Their mission, which began on April 25th, 1915, was to attack the Ottoman Empire, which was fighting on Germany's side.

The nine-month-long campaign was brutal and resulted in over half a million deaths and numerous casualties. The Turks ultimately emerged victorious, thanks in part to the brilliant strategic command of army officer Mustafa Kemal, who later became known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Gallipoli Battlefields

Anzac Cove is home to a commemorative monument and several cemeteries, while the Lone Pine Cemetery area contains the most Australian graves and important battlefields such as Turkish Monument, which honors the Turk's 57th Regiment, and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Cemetery and Chunuk Bair Mehmet Memorials. Many visitors find that organized tours of the battlefields are helpful in making sense of the complex history.

In the southern part of the Gallipoli Peninsula, visitors can find three memorials from the campaign. The village of Alçitepe is home to the Salim Mutlu War Museum, which contains many battle finds, as well as the Gallery of the Gallipoli Campaign, which showcases photos and dioramas of the battles. There are also several Turkish, British, and French cemeteries scattered throughout the area. The Abide Monument at Morto Bay serves as a commemoration of all fallen Turkish soldiers in the Gallipoli campaign.