Çamburnu Castle

Çamburnu Castle, locally known as Çamburnu Kalesi, lies on the European shore of the Dardanelles Strait, south of the town of Eceabat, in the province of Çanakkale in Turkey.

After the mid-18th century the defenses of the Dardanelles Strait were in a very dilapidated state and it was understood by the Ottoman Sultan Selim III that new fortifications were needed. His successor Sultan Mahmud II then had several new fortifications built between 1807 and 1822, amongst them were the forts of Çamburnu on the European side and Köseburnu (Mecidiye Fort) on the opposite Asian side.

Although Çamburnu was still repaired in the last quarter of the 19th century by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the fort was quickly outdated and lost its defensive function. Also having been built with low walls of weak quality, directly on the waterfront, it deteriorated rather quickly. The fort and its immediate surroundings were used as headquarters and a field hospital during the Gallipoli Campaign in WWI.

Çamburnu Castle was built as a rectangle, with one crescent-shaped wall jutting out into the water. There was a platform behind that wall upon which cannons were placed. The only remaining structure inside the castle walls is a vaulted arsenal.

At present Çamburnu Castle is freely accessible. A nice small fort ruin, although a little dilapidated.

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