Dardanellen

Dardanellen, also known as the Dardanelles in English, is a strait in northwestern Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms a geographic boundary between Europe and Asia. The strait runs about 61 kilometers in length, stretching from the coastal area near Cape Helles on the southern end to the area near Kilitbahir on the northern end, with a width that narrows to a few kilometers at several points. It separates the Gallipoli Peninsula on the European side from the Anatolian mainland on the Asian side.

The name derives from the ancient city of Dardanus on the European shore, reflecting its long historical role as a major maritime route.

Historically, the Dardanellen has been a strategic chokepoint since antiquity, shaping naval campaigns and commerce. In the modern era it is best known for the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I (1915–1916), when Allied forces attempted to force a sea route to Russia by passing through the strait and capturing Constantinople. The campaign ended in a costly Ottoman victory and Allied withdrawal. Today the strait remains a vital international shipping lane; its governance is defined by the Montreux Convention of 1936, which gives Turkey control over naval passage and imposes limits on ships from non-Black Sea states in wartime and peacetime.

In the present day, the Dardanellen are navigable to all kinds of commercial and military vessels. The area is also home to towns such as Çanakkale and Eceabat on the European side and Lapseki on the Asian side, with ferry services facilitating crossings and with several battlefield memorials and cemeteries along the Gallipoli peninsula that reflect its enduring historic significance.