The Historic National Park Of Gallipoli Peninsula

The historic battlefields on the Gallipoli Peninsula were set up as a national park on 2 November 1973 by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The whole of the Peninsula was declared a national park on 14 November 1980. Also referred to as the Peace Park, the Gallipoli Peninsula Historical National Park covers an area of 33.000 hectares with many valuable historical, military, ancient and natural features. 20.000 hectares are owned by the state and the rest is private land subject to governmental regulations in keeping with its status as a national park. Residential areas within the national park consist of the district of the regional center of Eceabat and eight of the twelve villages in this region. The local economy is primarily dependent on fishing, agriculture and forestry.
With an altitude ranging from sea level to 340 meters, the Peninsula forms one side of the Dardanelle. The shoreline varies from sandy beaches and bays to sharp rock-faces and cliffs. The northwest of the park contains one of the best examples of a natural bay in the Thracian area of the North Aegean: Anafarta Koyu (Suvla). Access to the bay is by the road north of Anzac Cove or by the sign-posted road opposite the turnoff to Hill 60 Cemetery.

The residual natural woodland is found on the higher mountain and hill slopes and is dominated by pines along with some cypress and oriental plane. Other scrub woodland is dominated by oaks, wild olives and strawberry trees. The total of the woodland area covers 10.850 hectares. Other habitats include cultivated coastal fields and orchards.

The features of the Gallipoli Peninsula have been comprehensively described in the documentation prepared by the Turkish authorities which formed part of the brief for the international Gallipoli Peace Park Ideas Competition held in 1998. Briefly, the cultural features of the Battlefield Heritage Zone are characterised by a number of Turkish and Allied cemeteries and monuments with road access providing the main form of connection between these.

The cultural features of the shoreline around the Ari Burnu and North Beach area are the coastal road, Ari Burnu Cemetery, Canterbury Cemetery, Beach Cemetery and the works depot of Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

What to visit places in The Historic National Park of Gallipoli Peninsula:
Cemeteries and Memorials in Helles
Cemeteries and Memorials in Anzac
Cemeteries and Memorials in Suvla