Dardanelles

Just like the Bosporus strait, it separates Europe (in this case 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 (for example the Trojan War took place on the Asiatic side of the straits. The Persian army of Xerxes I and later 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 almost forced by the Allies during World War I with huge loss of life (see Anzac), almost ending the career of Winston Churchill (the battle was lost by the British on March 18, 1915).