Historic fountain in Çanakkale bears marks of Ottoman naval legacy

ÇANAKKALE

A historic fountain and its accompanying pools which once supplied water to the Ottoman fleet, nestled in the village of Kilitbahir in the western province of Çanakkale, stand as silent witnesses to the Ottoman Empire’s naval legacy.

İsmail Sabah, Deputy Director of the Atatürk and Çanakkale Wars Research Center (AÇASAM) at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, recently unearthed new details about the fountain.

“The fountain’s inscription dates back to 1865, a period coinciding with the Crimean War [1853-1856],” Sabah explained.

He noted that the fountain’s inscriptions written in the Latin alphabet likely reflect interactions between Ottoman forces and their European allies during that time.

Sabah’s exploration began with a study of Ottoman-inscribed gravestones and plaques in the Gallipoli Peninsula, the site of the Çanakkale Wars.

Among the discoveries, the fountain — commissioned by Ottoman admiral Halil Pasha — stood out. It was built to meet the critical water needs of the Ottoman Navy, a logistical challenge for fleets preparing for Mediterranean expeditions.

The fountain’s location puzzled researchers, as it lies four kilometers from the nearest village. “Fountains were typically constructed within or near settlements as acts of charity,” Sabah noted. “But this one is isolated, raising questions about its purpose.”

To solve the mystery, Sabah examined Halil Pasha’s foundation records, which referenced the “Piyale Pasha Garden,” a site known today as Havuzlar (Pools).

“The place where the fountain was intended to be built is referred to as Piyale Pasha Garden according to the foundation record. However, today this place is known as Havuzlar Mevkii. Therefore, the first question to be answered was where the Piyale Pasha Garden was,” Sabah said.

Ottoman historian Katip Çelebi’s writings provided further clues, describing how the Ottoman fleet, en route to the Mediterranean, would stop at this location to replenish water supplies.

“In Katip Çelebi's work translated as 'The Gift to the Great On Naval Wars,' we came across an important clue in the chapter describing the Ottoman Navy's expedition,” Sabah detailed. “According to the work, the navy sailing from Istanbul, after crossing the Marmara Sea, stops for a day at a place called Piyale Pasha Garden on the outskirts of the Dardanelles and thus supplies its water needs. At the same time, logs and kindling were bought from Çanakkale for the ships.”

The evidence confirmed that the fountain and its pools were not built for civilians but specifically for the navy.

“Freshwater was a vital resource for fleets, and this fountain became a key logistical point for Ottoman maritime operations,” Sabah noted.

Over time, the original name of the area, Pyale Pasha Gardens, was replaced with Havuzlar due to the prominence of the pools in front of the fountain.

The site also bears marks from multiple historical periods.

“We’ve found insriptions from the Crimean War, as well as writings and photographs from soldiers during the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign,” Sabah added.

“We can clearly see the date 1856 on the fountain and it is written in Latin. This date coincides with the Crimean War of 1853-1856. It is highly probable that it was written by one of the soldiers who came as an ally of the Ottoman Empire at that time, or at least we can make such an assessment,” Sabah said.

“In sum, we realized that we encountered one of the most significant places in Turkish maritime history thanks to an inscription text.”