Çanakkale Province Map

anakkale Canakkale is a Turkish province located in the north west area and its importance is much bigger than its population or financial proportions. It lies in a geographical position, at one of the most significant natural waterways of the whole world, the Dardanelles, and it is placed between Europe and Asia as well as between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The name of the province is given after the main city in the province, Canakkale, which had developed as an important station of maritime transit and local commerce. Migration, war, trade, and cultural interaction have influenced this region over centuries to create a stratified identity of ancient roots and contemporary Turkish civil society. Canakkale is a town of peaceful urban centre, productive rural environment, esteemed university and strong memory sites which calls visitors worldwide today.

History

History Canakkale is one of the richest places in history of Turkey and human habitation can be traced back to prehistoric times. The best known old location in the province was Troy near the modern village of Tevfikiye. Archeological digs conducted in Hisarlik have shown that there were several layers of the settlement dating back to the early bronze period extending to the Roman period, thousands of years. The location of Troy close to the Dardanelles turned it into a place of commerce and contact, and war, and its mythical siege was forever preserved in the Iliad of Homer. Although the epic is made of myth and history, archaeological findings prove that there was indeed a real and great city called Troy which was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In addition to Troy, the area had many other significant ancient cities, such as Assos, Alexandria Troas, Lampsacus and Abydos. These cities became a part of the cultural and economical life of the ancient Greek world, and then the Roman Empire. They were linked by roads, fortifications and ports to the larger imperial networks, and philosophical and artistic traditions thrived in the locations where Aristotle is reputed to have resided and taught at some time, including Assos.

After the separation of the Roman Empire, Canakkale became belonging to Byzantine world. The Dardanelles was even more important as the sea route of Constantinople in this period. The strait was vital to defence, trade and communication and Byzantines spent vast sums on coastal defences and shipping facilities. In spite of these efforts, the area was constantly used as the subject matter of the conflicts between foreign powers. Since the fourteenth century, the region was slowly conquered by the Ottoman. The Ottomans had realised the strategic importance of the Dardanelles and reinforced their positions on both sides of the strait, building castles, including Kilitbahir and Cimenlik. The purpose of these structures was to control the traffic of the navy and to exclude the enemy fleet of ships reaching the imperial capital. Canakkale emerged as a modest and significant provincial centre during the Ottoman period, in which agriculture, crafts and maritime trade were the cornerstones of the local economy. The Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War is the most characteristic period of the modern history of Canakkale. In 1915, the Allied forces, with the intention of weakening the Ottoman Empire, attacked it with a great operation to take control of the Dardanelles to acquire a supply channel into Russia. The war led to an extended and violent combat in the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Although the Ottoman forces had minimal resources, they were able to keep the strait under their control. The war took away the lives of tens of thousands of the soldiers of all parties and left a significant trace in the national consciousness, especially in Turkey, Australia and New Zealand. With the formation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, Canakkale was restructured as a provincial administrative centre. Over the decades that followed, the region was slowly developed, education, transport and public services improved. Canakkale managed to preserve much of the natural scenery and historical nature unlike in some areas of Turkey which rapidly industrialised.

Culture

Culture The Canakkale culture is marked with a long period of interaction between the Anatolian, Aegean and Balkan cultures. It is not expressed as a dramatic contrasts with the diverse aspects of other cultures, but rather a balanced and less expressive easy way of living. The province is said to be careless and socially liberal, an aspect that has been influenced by its coastal environment, a number of students and a culture of living together in harmony as various communities. The Aegean culinary culture has a great impact on food culture in Canakkale. Olive oil is a basic spice, which is consumed in large quantities in vegetable meals, salads and seafood. The coastal cuisine is mainly centered on fish and shellfish, with the inland regions dominated by grains, legumes and dairy. The origin of viticulture in the area is old and the production of wine is still on a small yet revered level, especially on Bozcaada. Local markets are significant in the real world life, as they are not only the arenas of socialization but also trade.

The Canakkale cultural identity is drawn by handicrafts. In the nineteenth century, the city gained fame because of its unique pottery characterised by the bold shapes and decorative motifs. The art of ceramics is considered as an essential source of culture even after industrial production has decreased, and contemporary artisans still tend to be inspired by traditional versions. The folk music and dance containing both Marmara and Aegean traditions are also played during the wedding, during the festivals and local celebrations. The characteristic feature of cultural life is collective memory. Memorials and battlefields of the Gallipoli Peninsula are not received as simple tourist sites but rather as the graveyard of memorial. The commemorations are characterized by an atmosphere of respect and reconciliation each year with a major focus on common loss instead of victory. Such a strategy has created an atmosphere of historical consciousness that appreciates peace and understanding.

Language

Canakkale is majorly inhabited by Turkish speakers and this is the official language of the Republic of Turkey. The Turkish spoken in the province is much standard and comprehensible with the one of other part of the country, though the local accents and expressions may be observed, particularly in the rural regions. These differences are associated with historical processes of settlement and contact with adjacent areas instead of different dialects.

The region was formerly a linguistic melting pot. Greek was commonly spoken in antiquity especially in coastal settlements and inscriptions in the ancient cities of the province testify to its use. The Ottoman period was characterized by a mixed population comprised of Greek, Armenian and other languages in addition to the Turkish. After the population exchanges and demographic changes in the beginning of the twentieth century, Turkish overwhelmed.

In modern Canakkale, younger generations use foreign languages like English more and more which is the reason why it is more widespread among students and other professionals who are somehow linked with tourism and higher education. Having Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University has added to a multilingual atmosphere of the academic and cultural life, whereas Turkish still remains the language of life and government.

Geography

Geography Canakkale province is geographically unique and its area is characterized by water, peninsulas and mixed landscapes. It covers portions of the European as well as Asian Turkey which is divided by the Dardanelles strait. The European part covers quite a bit of the Gallipoli Peninsula, and the Asian one covers the whole Biga Peninsula. Such a dual presence of the continent provides the province with a distinct spatial identity in Turkey. The Dardanelles are also a narrow and winding passage, which connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea. They have influenced the settlement patterns, defence patterns and economic activities over centuries. Canakkale has a long and diverse coastline with bays, cliffs and sandy beaches to the strait and open Aegean Sea. The province has several islands, the most prominent of which are Gokceada and Bozcaada. The islands are known to have local characteristics, and in the past they have supported fishing, agriculture and maritime. The province is defined by rolling hills and fertile plains and mountain ranges which are the Kaz Mountains, also referred to as Mount Ida, which is located in the interior of the province.

These mountains are ecological and mythological in nature and help to sustain a variety of fauna and flora. The rivers in the area tend to be seasonal with short lengths and add to the agricultural productivity especially in places with favorable conditions to grow olive groves, vineyard and cereal farming. Canakkale has a Mediterranean and Marmara influenced climate. Summers tend to be warm and dry whereas winters are colder and wetter particularly in inland areas and high areas. This climate change favors an array of farming practices, and helps to make the province more diverse. In general, the geography of Canakkale has had a massive impact on its history and lifestyle. Its location on major waterways has made it an encountering and conflicting zone, and its landscapes have proved livestock to thousands of years. The province is today still trying to strike a balance between its strategic importance and environmental conservation and heritage, keeping its unique position within Turkey.

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