Turkey Unveils Underwater Shipwreck Museum

If you are a diver who enjoys exploring underwater shipwrecks, here is one more place to add to your list, Gallipoli Historical Underwater Park beneath the Dardanelles Strait in Turkey.

Back in 1973, Turkey created the Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Peninsula Historical National Park at the southern end of the Gallipoli Peninsula to honor the 500,000 soldiers who lost their lives in this region in a prolonged battle between the Ottoman and the Allied forces in the First World War. The latter was forced to retreat and according to historians it was this battle which sowed the seeds of Turkish nationalism.

Apart from trenches, castles, towers and other battle related sites, there are graves and memorials of around 250,000 Turkish soldiers, and 250,000 soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, England and France.

Recently, Turkey has opened a stretch of coastline off the Gallipoli peninsula which contains wrecks from the First World War battle to tourists. Earlier, divers had to obtain special permission to go down to the depths. But now it is open to all, even international tourists.

The recently opened underwater site will heighten the historic connection as divers have an opportunity to explore the remains of 14 battle ships, including the British Royal Navy's 'HMS Majestic'. The British ship was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat and went down with 49 crew, according to reports. It lies almost intact 80 feet below the surface of the water off the coast of Seddulbahir village. According to news reports, among the first group of people to dive at this newly opened attraction were Turks and Australians whose family members had fought at Gallipoli. 

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