Dardanelles, Natural strait in Çanakkale Province, Turkey
The Dardanelles is a natural strait in Çanakkale Province in Turkey that connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara over a length of about 61 kilometers. The width varies between 1.2 and 6 kilometers and at some points the depth reaches over 100 meters below the surface.
The Persian ruler Xerxes I crossed the strait in 480 BC over pontoon bridges during his campaign into Greece. Later it became the site of a major battle in World War One between allied forces and the Ottoman Empire.
Local fishermen work along the shores using traditional methods and their boats shape the everyday scene on the water. Visitors can see how communities on both sides adapt their way of life to the closeness of the strait and move daily between the continents.
Ferries run regularly between the two shores and give travelers an easy way to experience the crossing with views over the water. Viewpoints along the coastal road allow you to watch the traffic on the strait and the opposite coastline.
The water moves in two separate layers with opposite directions: at the surface it flows toward the Mediterranean while the deeper currents pull the other way. This occurs because of the difference in salt content between the two connected seas.
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