Helles Memorial, War memorial at Cape Helles, Turkey.
The Helles Memorial is a war memorial at Cape Helles, at the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, at the entrance to the Dardanelles strait. It takes the form of a tall, four-sided obelisk surrounded by low stone walls bearing the names of the fallen.
The memorial was built in 1924 to honor British and New Zealand soldiers who died during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and 1916 and have no known grave. The campaign was an Allied attempt to break through the Dardanelles and reach Constantinople, and it ended in withdrawal after months of fighting.
The Helles Memorial carries the names of over 20,000 British and New Zealand soldiers who have no known grave. Visitors can walk along the stone panels and read name after name, which gives a very direct sense of how many individuals were lost in a single campaign.
The memorial is at the far end of the Gallipoli Peninsula, far from nearby towns, so having a private vehicle or joining an organized tour is very helpful. Since it sits in an open coastal position, wind and heat can be strong, and light protective clothing is a good idea.
The obelisk at the heart of the memorial also functions as a lighthouse beacon for ships heading into the Dardanelles entrance, making it one of the few memorials that plays an active role in navigation. This means it is visible day and night, including to vessels passing through the strait.
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