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The Gelibolu Historical Underwater Park Project is an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the Gallipoli Campaign. In this context, historical shipwrecks from World War I have been identified in the Dardanelles and the Aegean Sea using the latest digital techniques. The project aims to assist in the preservation of the Gallipoli war wrecks for future generations and is a sustainable underwater archaeological research project. The Gallipoli Historical Site Directorate for the Gallipoli Campaign was established in 2014 to protect the area where the Gallipoli Campaign took place, increase awareness of the campaign, and pass it on to future generations. It has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List as one of the best-preserved battlefields in the world. Just as the traces of the land battles are preserved, efforts have been made since 2017 to identify and implement protection measures for the sunken ships from the Gallipoli Campaign, with the goal of making them accessible for visits. When one thinks of Gallipoli, the epic struggle that took place on land during World War I comes to mind. However, while one of the most significant naval events of World War I occurred at Gallipoli, this fact is not widely known. Many people cannot access these underwater cultural heritage monuments, which have frozen in time at the moment of the war's full intensity and lie at various depths of the sea. Our Directorate conducts 3D mapping and applications that explain how the war wrecks are positioned on the seabed, not only for those who have the opportunity to dive but also for everyone to understand what lies on the ocean floor. Despite the widespread knowledge of the Gallipoli Campaign, the ships that sank during the war and their stories are not well known outside of those who have special permissions to dive. In the World War I-themed underwater park, there is an opportunity to dive while also learning about the stories of the shipwrecks and what happened at Gallipoli, along with their three-dimensional representations. For these reasons, the Gelibolu Historical Underwater Park Project is positioned as one of the most important diving centers in the world. The fact that the histories of the war wrecks and their final moments during the Gallipoli Campaign have survived underwater invites everyone who dives to feel the deep traces of the war, not just providing an experience of wreck diving due to the technology and human-based stories.
We have always been aware of the importance of the Gallipoli Campaign, which changed the course of Turkish and World History, and the significance of the battles fought there. We rolled up our sleeves to bring the wrecks that illuminate history and reflect the traces of that era in the most detailed way to the world's attention, in a sense, to bring underwater historical information to the surface. Our goal was to ensure that the historical underwater heritage in Gallipoli is recognized worldwide, achieving the importance it deserves in both domestic and international tourism and establishing a globally recognized brand value. By conducting studies with a balance of protection and use, and in accordance with sustainable tourism principles, we aimed for these values, which have influenced the course of world history, to be known by everyone and for the information emerging in light of scientific data to be heard globally. In line with all these goals, we collaborated with TÜBİTAK, the South Marmara Development Agency, and Istanbul University. Our initial action was to compile a list of the ships that sank during World War I, followed by conducting site identification studies using sonar and seismic mapping methods. In the scanning studies we conducted over an area of 150 km², we expanded the research scope to identify changes in the seabed from ancient times to the present and to locate all wrecks from the same period to today. We also conducted studies for species identification for biodiversity analysis in the area, as well as ensuring the correct selection of equipment for diving safety. In this regard, we thoroughly analyzed seasonal water temperatures and current direction and regimes. To obtain all this data and complete the project flawlessly in light of science, we worked tirelessly with 25 technical equipment and over 30 people, ranging from seismic scanning systems to oceanographic cranes, from side-scan sonars to GPS systems. To prevent problems with the mooring of dive boats due to anchoring during dives and visits to the wrecks, we ensured the placement of moorings and buoys at 16 dive sites. This not only made diving operations safer and faster but also ensured that their integrity is passed on to future generations. Recognizing the importance of the results that would emerge in this context, we initiated the meticulous work processes we needed to carry out. Initially, we divided our working area, designated as number 1, into 7 sections along the coast, where the H.M.S. Majestic wreck is located. In all 7 sections, we used a multi-beam echo sounder to conduct shallow and deep measurements. In addition to depth and shallowness detection, we also performed bathymetric studies to map the contours, 3D models, and images of the wrecks. Following this, we conducted Side-Scan Sonar Measurements, produced Sonar Maps, and carried out oceanographic studies measuring water currents and temperature balances. We successfully completed many technical details and high-resolution studies, 3D wreck modeling, marine flora and fauna observation studies, drone ortho-photo mapping, acoustic diver tracking system studies, and finally underwater park planning studies with great diligence and dedication despite all the challenges posed by natural conditions. As a result of all these efforts, we identified 25 wrecks from World War I, 43 different ecosystem diversities, 2 natural reefs, 1 recent commercial shipwreck, and 1 wreck from ancient times, bringing a total of 29 different dive sites into our country's historical and cultural treasures. We continued to increase our activities aimed at promoting these sites internationally day by day. We regularly participated in the Boot Düsseldorf fair, which is considered a benchmark for the international boating and water sports industry held annually, ensuring its promotion on the international stage. We secured our place at BalticTech 2024, recognized as the world's largest technical diving conference, held biennially in Gdynia, Poland, to promote it to interested parties on an international platform. With the international underwater wreck photography competition we launched in 2025 under the name Gallipoli Wreck Fest, we succeeded in positioning ourselves in this field with participants, competitors, and jury members from 18 different countries. In conclusion, the underwater riches of Gallipoli, which hold a universally recognized significance for our country and world history, have taken their first steps toward becoming the most well-known values of our country's geography globally. Many more studies will be conducted in the future, and we will continue our efforts to make new historical and ecosystem riches a center for sports diving tourism. We would like to express our gratitude to the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation, Istanbul University, the South Marmara Development Agency, and TÜBİTAK for their endless efforts and support as our project partners.
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