Heroic Wars and ancient cities; Çanakkale

Çanakkale is a radiant city in the Southern Marmara Region of Turkey, on the Dardanelles. The Dardanelles is a narrow and internationally important waterway, which links the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, while separating Europe from Asia! Due to its geopolitical position, Çanakkale is very rich in history and culture. Evidence from the archeological digs shows that it was always a settlement since 3000 BC, used by countless ancient cities! This place has also witnessed the heroic Trojan War and the crossings of Xerxes' Persians, as well as Alexander the Great's Macedonians. During World War I, Çanakkale was one of the main stages of a year-long battle between the United Kingdom, France and the Ottoman Empire. In 1915, the British Empire and France attempted to capture Constantinople aka İstanbul, but during March 1915 the Royal Navy failed to force the Dardanelles and suffered severe losses. The city's name "Çanakkale" means "pot fortress" in English and comes from its world-famous ceramics and fine-glazed pottery. So, if you want to check out this epic city, here is your guide!

Troy is an ancient city in Turkey, which according to Iliad by Homer, is where the legendary Trojan War took place. Today, Troy is an archaeological site, which attracts many tourists every year by being on the World Heritage List of UNESCO! Due to its amazing location, it was a key route connecting the Mediterranean with the Black Sea.  It hosted major human settlements since 3000 BC, and you can still check out Neolithic settlement remains. Troy was sadly destroyed and rebuilt nine times(!) and nowadays, you can see the each of nine different layers. The layer that is thought to be depicted in Homer's Iliad can be seen from a portion of the legendary walls of the ancient city. The ruins in here are well marked, but since it is quite rocky, you better be wearing proper shoes while discovering the area. The entry to the site costs 35 TL (starting from 2018). If you are into ancient ruins, you may never want to leave this place. Oh, and of course the Trojan horse in the entrance of the site. You can climb up to its ladders to check out its interior! Get to enjoy this amazing experience! 

The Çanakkale Martyrs´ Memorial is a spectacular war memorial commemorating the service of Turkish soldiers, who participated at the Battle of Gallipoli during the First World War. The structure of this massive monument was planned in 1952 and on 19th of April 1954, the construction began. The  Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial is so majestic that it can be seen during a passage through the Dardanelles! There is also a museum underneath the monument, in which you can find further information and historical artefacts about the magnitude of the Battle of Gallipoli.

The Ceramics museum, which was built as a Turkish bath in 1905, has been restored by the Municipality of Çanakkale in 2013. Inside the museum, important ceramics artworks are exhibited. During the restoration, the old structure of the building has been reserved and the ceramics were organised as related; national and international symposiums, workshops and exhibitions. There are several sections in this museum, while you can also visit the resting hall before entering, to get some information regarding the history of the building and the content of the exhibition. There is also a garden in the backyard, which you should definitely check out.