Dardanelles (Turkish:
Çanakkale Bogazi) is a narrow strait in northwestern
Turkey connecting the
Aegean Sea with the
Marmara Sea. Just like
Bosporus strait, it separates
Europe (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 always had a strategic place in history (e.g. Troy was defended from this point). First the Persian army of Xerxes I and then the Greek army of Alexander the Great crossed the Dardanelles in opposite directions to invade each other's lands. Having a vital importance for the Ottoman fleet for their domination over the eastern Mediterranean region, the strait was finally forced by the Allies during
World War I with huge loss of life, almost ending the career of
Winston Churchill.