Türkiye’s Mobile Çanakkale Museum arrives in Ganja, Azerbaijan PHOTO

The “Mobile Museum of the Battles of Çanakkale” has arrived in Ganja, Azerbaijan, where its exhibition on the historic World War I battle will be open to visitors for three days.

The museum on wheels is operating with the support of the Yunus Emre Institute, the Consulate General of Türkiye in Ganja, the city’s Executive Authority, and the Directorate for the Historical Battlefields of Çanakkale, according to local media reports.

Launched on July 2, 2020, this innovative project has been touring across Türkiye, presenting the story of the 1915 military campaign fought by the Ottoman Empire to defend the Dardanelles Strait (modern-day Strait of Çanakkale). It will be parked in Ganja from October 18-20 before it heads towards the capital city of Baku, where it will be open to visitors from October 22-25.

In early 1915, British leaders, including Winston Churchill, devised a plan to capture the Dardanelles to break the stalemate on the Western Front, threaten Constantinople, drive the Ottomans out of the war, and support the Russian Empire.

Their assault was met with a determined Turkish defence led by Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) and his 19th Division of the Fifth Army stationed on Gallipoli. Kemal, who later founded the Republic of Türkiye, commanded the resistance that forced the Allies to retreat in early 1916 after nine months of heavy losses, logistical failures, and no progress.

The museum displays a variety of materials, videos, and wartime relics, including the Dardanelles Defence Plan. With sound effects, immersive atmosphere, and careful design, it seeks to evoke the spirit of Çanakkale both within Türkiye and abroad.

By Nazrin Sadigova