Dardanelles
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The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı), formerly Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara.
Just like the Bosporus strait, it separates Europe (in this case the Gallipoli peninsula) and the mainland of Asia. The major city neighbouring the strait is Çanakkale (which takes its name from its famous castles; kale means "castle").
The strait has long had a strategic role in history (for example the Trojan War took place on the Asiatic side of the straits). The Persian army of Xerxes I and later the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great crossed the Dardanelles in opposite directions to invade each other's lands.
As a result of the straits being vital for the Ottoman's domination over their eastern Mediterranean dominion, the Allies made a failed attempt to seize the Dardanelles during World War I (the battle was officially declared lost on March 18, 1915); the high number of casualties (see ANZAC) from this battle almost ended the career of Winston Churchill.
See also
External links
- Pictures of the city of Çanakkale (http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/canakkale_turkey)da:Dardanellerne
de:Dardanellen et:Dardanellid fr:Dardanelles lt:Dardanelai nl:Dardanellen ja:チャナッカレ海峡 pl:Dardanele sl:Dardanele sv:Dardanellerna