Restoration work is underway at the “Respect for History Park” on the Gallipoli Peninsula, a site that holds deep symbolic meaning in Türkiye’s collective memory and the shared history of nations once divided by war.
Established in 2008 by Turkish fuel company Opet as part of its “Respect for History” project, the 2,520-square-meter park in Eceabat consists of three main sections: The Monument of Respect for History, a detailed scale model of the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Bomb Ridge (Bombasırtı) Battle Recreation Area.
The monument, a striking work by renowned sculptor Tankut Öktem, pays tribute to Türkiye’s struggle for independence. The restoration of the statue is being carried out by his daughter, sculptor Pınar Öktem Doğan.
The park’s second section features a 1:1000 scale model of the Gallipoli Peninsula, offering visitors a panoramic view of the terrain where one of World War I’s fiercest battles unfolded.
The Gallipoli Campaign, fought in 1915 between Ottoman forces and the Allied troops — most famously the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) — was a defining moment that forged national consciousness for both sides.
In the third section, the Bomb Ridge Battle, vividly described in modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s memoirs, is re-enacted with 40 life-sized figures. Turkish and ANZAC soldiers face each other across 22-meter-long trenches, recreating the brutal reality of trench warfare while emphasizing the mutual respect that emerged from the conflict.
Sculptor Nurettin Bektaş, who designed the original installation, is overseeing the renewal of figures and trenches. The park’s lighting system and information panels have also been upgraded to enhance the visitor experience, particularly for evening hours.
