Seddulbahir Castle is located in Seddulbahir Village, which is within the borders of Eceabat district of Çanakkale. The castle was opened to visitors on the 108th anniversary of the 18 March Martyrs’ Day and the Çanakkale Naval Victory, which was held with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The historical castle, which is one of the guards of the Bosphorus, has been renovated through the restoration process. Spreading over an area of approximately 22 thousand square meters, the castle was built against the Venetian attacks in the 17th century. It is also important as the first military structure built by women in Ottoman history.
Seddülbahir Castle; It is located on a promontory between Ertuğrul and Morto bays on the Gallipoli Peninsula of Çanakkale Province. The castle, which is in a deteriorated state, was taken under protection by the Ministry of Culture in 1980. Built after the Venetians who occupied Limnos and Bozcaada, the castle was designed by Architect Mustafa Ağa for defense purposes.
Features and Story of Seddülbahir Castle
The construction of Seddülbahir Castle was started in 1644 during the reign of Abraham I. Especially after the resumption of the war with the Venetians on the island of Crete, it was decided to build this castle. Due to the inadequacy of Çimenlik Castle in the narrowest part of the Bosphorus, II. It was built during the reign of Mehmet. It was built to form the defensive line and also formed the first leg of the defensive line.
Seddülbahir Castle was made into a book in 1680 by a traveler who visited the Ottoman Empire after its completion. It is also said that there were many buildings around the castle at that time. Seddülbahir Castle has seen many repairs and repairs since the date it was built. The information of these repairs is in the Ottoman archives. The period when the castle was most damaged was the First World War. During the Dardanelles Naval Wars, the castle was subjected to intense artillery fire. In addition, land wars also caused great damage to the castle. In the attack in 1914, the northeastern part of the castle was completely damaged.
Seddülbahir Castle is located at the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, where the Dardanelles Strait ends and the Aegean Sea begins. It has five bastions, 136,525 meters from the inside, between the bastions in the north and west. These bastions are connected to each other by fortification walls. In the castle, a three-stage wall and a fortress veil are formed from southeast to northwest. Seddülbahir Castle is located in the 1st degree archaeological-military-war historical-urban site.
In 1659, IV. It was built by Mehmet’s mother, Valide Hatice Turhan Sultan, for the security of the Bosphorus against Venetian attacks. It was repaired by Abdulhamid Han and its photograph appeared in the magazine named “The Illustrated War News” dated September 29, 1915. Seddülbahir Castle has an asymmetrical plan with a gradual understanding of plan and is approximately rectangular. The part facing the sea makes a break in the middle.
Places to Visit around Seddülbahir Castle
Seddülbahir Castle and the surrounding of its village contain many areas worth exploring. Natural beauties and bays surround the castle and allow visitors to have a pleasant time. In the region, which is a historical fishing village, there are also remnants from the Dardanelles War. In addition to the museums and sculptures in the castle, Yahya Sergeant monument, Ertuğrul bastion and Helles monument are among the places to visit around the castle.
Ertuğrul Bay, which is located around the Seddülbahir Castle, is an area located by the sea and containing a historical cemetery. The bays and seas around the village are ideal places for both historical touristic trips and sea pleasure. You can easily swim in the bay around the castle, or you can have a pleasant time here by stopping by Morto Bay.
