#Gallipoli

Çanakkale War veteran's castles are revived

Seddülbahir, Kilitbahir and Bigalı castles on the Gallipoli Peninsula, which had a very important place in the security of the Bosphorus during the Çanakkale Wars, were restored. After its restoration, Kilitbahir Castle and Bigalı Castle, which were opened to visitors as the first living museum castle in Turkey, is preparing to welcome its visitors on March 18, 2023, on the 100th anniversary of the Republic. Those who will visit the war-weary veterans' castles will witness the traces of the bloodiest war in history, in which the Çanakkale epic was written. Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site Head İsmail Kaşdemir said that Çanakkale is a city of castles, that Çanakkale's castles have witnessed history, historical places, veteran places. The city of Çanakkale and its strait, which hosts various cultures, have always been protected by castles built on the European and Anatolian sides throughout history due to their geopolitical importance. Seddulbahir, Kilitbahir and Bigalı castles on the Gallipoli Peninsula also played a very important role in the security of the strait during the Dardanelles Wars, which was among the bloodiest wars in history and the epic of "Çanakkale is Impenetrable" was written thanks to the heroism of the Mehmetçik. 108 years ago, against seven poers, together with Mehmetçik, the castles became veterans with the hits of the cannons. In addition to the war, the Gallipoli Historical Site Presidency of the Gallipoli Wars launched a mobilization in order to restore the forts that were tired due to the geographical conditions. Turkey's first living castle museum, Kilitbahir Castle Kilitbahir Castle, whose restoration took 7 years, was opened to visitors by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 18, 2018 as Turkey's first living museum castle. The castle in the shape of a three-leaf clover, built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in the village of Kilitbahir, at the narrowest part of the Bosphorus, in 1462-1463, greets the ships passing through the Bosphorus with its magnificent appearance and makes its visitors proud with its heroism. From the life of Piri Reis to the daily life in the castle, from the architecture of the Ottoman castles to the defense, from trade to worship, everything from the life of Piri Reis to the daily life in the castle is explained to the visitors with today's technology in the Yellow Tower and the 7-floor Main Tower in Kilitbahir Castle. Bigali Castle Çanakkale Wars, by the Presidency of Gallipoli Historical Site, in 1807 Sultan III. Its construction started during the reign of Selim II, but Sultan II. Mahmut period and completed in 1820, 108 years ago during the Dardanelles Wars '3. The 203-year-old Bigali Castle, which was used as the 'Corps Esliha (Weapon) Repair Shop, was restored. Bigali Castle Restoration, Landscaping and Display-Arrangement Implementation Work was started by the Presidency of the Site in 2017. After 5 years of work, it was inaugurated by the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on April 24, on the 107th anniversary of the Çanakkale Land Wars in 2022. Seddülbahir Castle Seddulbahir Castle on the Historical Gallipoli Peninsula, which was heavily damaged by the artillery shells fired from the ships of the Entente states that wanted to cross the Dardanelles, was damaged due to natural conditions in the intervening period of a century. The restoration and landscaping works initiated in 2015 by the Gallipoli Historical Site Presidency of the Gallipoli Wars in order to revive the ruined castle and turn it into an open-air museum have come to an end. The scientific advisory board, attended by the faculty members of Istanbul Technical University and Koç University, continues to work on the inventory of 45 thousand 477 artifacts, mostly military war materials, of different qualities, during the archaeological excavations carried out during the restoration applications. When the Seddülbahir Castle Museum is completed, visitors will be informed about the history of the castle from the 17th century to the present. He will be able to visit the cemetery where the first martyrs of the Çanakkale Wars took place, and examine the parts of the 1915 Çanakkale Wars that took place in this castle, the war materials and documents of that period. Seddulbahir Castle, which will be transformed into an open-air museum at the end of museum applications, exhibition arrangement, additional structures, electromechanical, lighting, infrastructure and landscaping works, is planned to be opened to visitors on March 18, 2023, when the Çanakkale Naval Victory will be celebrated in the 100th anniversary of the Republic. Source: IHA