n.
Turkish Gelibolu ancient Callipolis
Seaport and town (pop., 2000 est.: 23,100), European Turkey.
It lies on a narrow peninsula at the entrance to the Sea of Marmara , southwest of Istanbul . First colonized by the Greeks, it was the site of an important Byzantine fortress. It became the first Ottoman conquest in Europe ( 0441; 1356) and was used as a naval base because of its strategic importance for the defense of Constantinople (Istanbul). Much of the town was destroyed in World War I (191418) during the Dardanelles Campaign . Historic sites include a 14th-century Ottoman castle and the tombs of Thracian kings.