The territories of Çanakkale that lie on both the Asian and the European peninsula are parted by the strait that carries its name. The Çimenlik and Kilitbahir citadels dating back to the 15th century adds to the exceptional beauty of the Dardanelles.

The 42-meter high “Çanakkale Monument of the Fallen” at the southern end of the Gelibolu Peninsula Historical National Park was erected in memory of the nearly 80 thousand soldiers who fell in battle on the Çanakkale front during World War I. There are also British and French monuments in the vicinity.

At Anzac Bay, on the Arıburnu coast where the Anzac soldiers first landed, the Anzac Monument on which Atatürk’s speech on the Dardanelles campaign is inscribed is an important monument to mankind’s ability to recog-nize shared humanity. Çanakkale Memorial - ÇANAKKALE To the northwest of Çanakkale, ancient cities extend from north to south.


Çanakkale Memorial

The archaic city of Troy, of the famed wooden horse, referred to in the Anatolian bard Homer’s epic as the place where the Siege of Troy took place. Troy of the Iliad, lies 30 km. southwest of Çanakkale. Neandreia, Alexandria, Troas, Chryse, and the intellectuals’ holiday re-sort, Behramkale -historically known as Assos- are lined up further south from Troy.

The Temple of Athena constructed in the 6th century B.C. is at the Assos Acropolis, at an alti-tude of 248 meters.

Balıkesir, an important province of the Marmara Region, has the Marmara Sea to its north and the Aegean Sea to its west. Bandırma, which lies on the Marmara coast of Balıkesir, is the second largest port city in the region following İstanbul. Northeast of Manyas Lake, which is located to the south of Bandırma, there is the Kuşcenneti (Birds’ Paradise) National Park, visited annually by nearly 3 million birds from 239 species.

Selimiye Mosque - Edirne


The Aegean shores of Balıkesir consist of Edremit Bay and its environs. The Edremit Bay shores, replete with natural and historical riches, are covered with olive trees. Legend says the first beauty contest in the world was held on Ida Mountain, to the north of Edremit, currently a national park.

Paris, the son of the king of Troy, used to live on this mountain. Akçay, Altınoluk, Ören and Ayvalık, in the vicinity of Edremit, are favorite holiday resorts with scenic wonders and exten-sive beaches.

The Çamlık and Alibey (Cunda) islands are famed both for their natural beauty and for their restaurants, which serve rich menus containing distinctive seafood specialties for gourmets. Bilecik was founded on lands irrigated by the Sakarya River and was an important center in Ottoman history.

This is where the Ottoman Empire was established in 1299. 30 km. east of Bilecik, Söğüt, renowned for its ceramics, was the first settlement of the Kayı, an old Turkish tribe.


Ayvalik Balıkesir