Canakkale, a city and region of education, culture and history with past stretching back 5,000 years, has been nourished by the legacy of ancient cultural treasures such as The Illiad by Homer and has come to appreciate the enchanting historical sites within its boundaries and is now an significant tourism centre.
Please click for the Canakkale City Plan
The city of Canakkale lends its name to the strait, which is also known as dardanelles, whose shores touch both Europe and Asia continents, while connecting the sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea. Anyone who controlled this gateway, commanded a highly strategic area. This strategic importance has stimulated the popularity of canakkale province as the homeland of many civilizations and critical battles throughout the centruies. Some Archaeologists claim that there are about 200 ancient sites in the province of Canakkale, where many of them waiting to be excavated.
Canakkale is one of our country's most important cultural and tourism centres, with the hospitality of the local people, unspoiled nature, unique buildings, ancient cities, historical walls, cemeteries of those who fell in the war, examples of civil architecture, its clean shores and beaches that have been awarded the Blue Flag, enchanting islands, thermal spas, mild climate, rich range of agricultural products, local dishes, a wide range of fresh and very varied fish, handcrafts and artists.
After İstanbul, Canakkale is the second crossing point of the country between Asia&Europa,therefore it's always busy with the trans-continental traffic of vehicles and pessengers. On the rush days such as March 18,April 23,May 19 and Anzac week, the ferry-boats keep sailing non-stop between the two shores.
Canakkale reveals a different beauty for all seasons, with the geography of the sea passing through it, the fertility of its lands, and the glamour of its history. It is an ancient, natural and modern province. On both sides of the wharf and on the waterfront.
Like in all seaside cities the criteria what sets the character of Canakkale is the sea and its wharf. Either side of the waterfront from the jetty in Canakkale have been set out to promote walking and entertainment. Stretching both ways from the car ferry wharf there are restaurants, bars, cafes and benches placed so one can look out over the sea or rest.
The area around the wharf and the waterfront is busy day and night.
Many of the entertainment &catering facilities,restaurants,hotel roof-tops,cafes and bars on the littoral cordon north &south of the ferry wharf,as well on the many streets behind it.The most fresh&delicious fish of the Dardanelles and the Aegean Sea are served in the many restaurants.
The Clock Tower
One street back from the wharf there is a clock tower that is one of the symbols of the city. It was built in 1897 by an Italian, Emili Vitali tradesman and honorary consul of the time. There is a clock on each of the four sides of the tower, which was built from the local Ayvalık stone. The square shaped tower narrows slightly as it rises. The public fountain beneath it was built in 1889 by a wealthy Jewish resident of the town called Halyo..
Old Canakkale
The two streets either side of the tower lead into the older districts of the city.The old houses of Canakkale congregated on the central narrow streets are mostly used as shops and cafes today There are small hans in the marketplace.Once upon a time the famed Muriel Bazaar (Aynalı Çarşı or Mirrored Bazaar) was in this region. The Muriel Bazaar, which was made famous in a well known song about Gallipoli Campaign, was built by Ilia Halyo in 1889 during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamit and was a replica of the famed Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul. According to some accounts it was destroyed by shells from the British battleship Queen Elizabeth, which were fired at the defences around Çanakkale. The bazaar remained a ruin for some time after the war and later 14 shops that were not in keeping with the former styles were erected.
Canakkale city tour
One can start a tour of Canakkale from the Cimenlik Castle. The tour, which would follow a visit to the old district, would have as its first stop at the Turkish districts of Camii Kebir and Çay and a stop at the Fatih Mosque. Later one can see the Jewish district, the Victory Square, the Nedime Hanım Girls School, the Tıflı Mosque, the Muriel Bazaar, the synagogue, the Anatolian Greek (Rum) district, school buildings, the Orta Mektep School, the Cumhuriyet Meydanı (Republican Square), the Public Gardens (Halk Bahcesi), the waterfront, the Clock Tower, Yalı and Fetvahane Streets and the Yalı Mosque.
The old district and the partly protected houses and streets are very pleasant but one can take a break at the Yalı Han, located off one of the streets leading from the Clock Tower. In the han, apart from a bookstore and several other shops, there is a coffee shop and if the weather is suitable you can even sit in the garden area which is very pleasant. The han is also the venue for a number of cultural activities in Canakkale
The Archeological & Naval
Museum are centrally located in Canakkale.Reliefs, tomb-stones,statues, ceramics,historical objects from Roman&Hellenistic periods ,finding from Troy,the necropolis of Bozcaada (Tenedos),Apollon Smintheus ,tumuluses of Dardanos ,Can&Yenice,coins and glass objects,Aphrodite statuette and considerable sarcophaguses are displayed at the Archeological Museum.
At the Naval Museum are displayed guns and military objects from the Ottoman period, equipments from World War I, books and maps of Piri Reis.
Cimenlik Kalesi(the Fort of Cimenlik),converted to a military museum today ,was constructed in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet II aiming to keep sea traffic under control.A replica of the mine layer NUSRET is also displayed within the museum park.
The vicinity of Canakkale
The Dardanos Tumulus
The tumulus is on the Izmir road in an area owned by the local university and the finds from the site are on display at the Canakkale Archaeology Museum. However, there is not much for the amateur visitor to see. The site's importance lies in its having the traces of the oldest settlement known in Canakkale.
The old name for Canakkale, Dardanos, comes from this old city that was founded here but there are no other traces of it barring the tumulus. The Dardanos tumulus is one of the oldest in the world.
Fortresses, Batteries and Cemeteries for Martyrs
Canakkale is renown for its numerous fortresses and castles built on the Asian shore of the Strait, usually with a matching fortification on the European side. The forts located on the Gallipoli Peninsula are covered in another chapter of this book. However, it is easy to visit some the batteries and cemeteries for martyrs on the Anatolian side of Canakkale.
Agriculture in Canakkale
55%of the whole Canakkale area is suitable for agriculture.Besides stock raising,olive, fruits&vegetables are the main crops.
Olive&oil eztraction are dense in Ezine, Ayvacık&Gökceada;stock raising, rice& tomato at Biga;cherry&peach at Lapseki.Bozcaada is reputed for centuries with its grapes& wines.Peach with no fuzz and apple are grown at Bayramic.Eceabat and the Gelibolu Peninsula is transforming to viniculture as it was 4000 years ago.Bean,red &green pepper and tomato are the main crops of Yenice.Apricot of Kepez is much praised.Organic agriculture on Gökceada is considerable. Apiculture is partly practiced at Ayvacık,Can, Yenice and Gökceada
DO NOT LEAVE CANAKKALE WITHOUT
• Visiting the Historic National Park of Gelibolu Peninsula ,
• Soaking up the atmosphere of the ancident city of Troy ,
• Scuba diving in the tranquil waters of Gokceada ,
• Seeing the mythological Mount Ida ,
• Viewing a spectacular sunset at Assos ,
• Tasting tempting regional dishes and locally produced wine ,
• Sampling Ezine cheese and olive oil