Cherkessk (russian: Черке́сск) is the
capital city
A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, Department (country subdivision), department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city ...
of
Karachay-Cherkessia
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic (russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская Респу́блика, ''Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika''; krc, Къарачай-Черкес Республика, ''Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika''; Cir ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population:
It was previously known as ''Batalpashinskaya'' (until 1931), ''Batalpashinsk'' (until 1934), ''Sulimov'' (until 1937), ''Yezhovo-Cherkessk'' (until 1939).
Names
In Russian, the city is called (''Čerkessk'')
and has similar names in the languages of the city's other major ethnic groups. In
Karachay
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situated ...
, it is (''Çerkessk'')
[ or (''Çerkessk şahar''); in Kabardian, it is (''Şărdjăs qală'') or (''Čerkessk'');][ in Abaza, it is (''Čerkes q̇ala'') or (''Čerkessk'');][ in Nogai, it is (''Şerkeş şahar'') and in Chechen, it is (''Čerkessk'').
For its first century of existence, Cherkessk was a '']stanitsa
A stanitsa ( rus, станица, p=stɐˈnʲitsə; uk, станиця, stanytsya) is a village inside a Cossack host ( uk, військо, viys’ko; russian: казачье войско, kazach’ye voysko, sometimes translated as "Cossack Arm ...
'', a village inside a Cossack host, which from 1825 to 1931 was named Batalpashinskaya stanitsa (Russian: ''Batalpašinskaja stanica'')[ and nicknamed Pashinka ( ''Pašinka'') In 1931, it was renamed Batalpashinsk ( ''Batałpašinsk''),][Города России: Черкесск. Энциклопедия]
— М.: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. И. Кондратьева, 1994. [ and then in quick succession Sulimov ( ''Sulimov'') in 1934][ for ]Daniil Sulimov
Daniil Yegorovich Sulimov (russian: Даниил Егорович Сулимов; – 27 November 1937) was a Soviet-Russian statesman who was from 1930 to 1937 the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, equivalent t ...
, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, and following Sulimov's execution in the Great Purge
The Great Purge or the Great Terror (russian: Большой террор), also known as the Year of '37 (russian: 37-й год, translit=Tridtsat sedmoi god, label=none) and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Nikolay Yezhov, Yezhov'), was General ...
, Yezhovo-Cherkessk ( ''Ježovo-Čerkessk'') in 1937[ for ]Nikolai Yezhov
Nikolai Ivanovich Yezhov ( rus, Никола́й Ива́нович Ежо́в, p=nʲɪkɐˈɫaj ɪˈvanəvʲɪt͡ɕ (j)ɪˈʐof; 1 May 1895 – 4 February 1940) was a Soviet secret police official under Joseph Stalin who was head of the N ...
, head of the NKVD. With Yezhov's arrest, the initial "Yezhovo-" was dropped, and the city received its present name in 1939.[
]
History
What is now Cherkessk was established in 1804 as a Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
military fort on the Kuban River
The Kuban; Circassian: Псыжъ, ''Psyẑ'' or Псыжь, ''Psyź'' ; abq, Къвбина, ''Q̇vbina'' ; Karachay–Balkar: Къобан, ''Qoban''; Nogai: Кобан, ''Qoban'') is a river in Russia that flows through the Western Caucas ...
, what was then the border with Circassia
Circassia (; also known as Cherkessia in some sources; ady, Адыгэ Хэку, Адыгей, lit=, translit=Adıgə Xəku, Adıgey; ; ota, چرکسستان, Çerkezistan; ) was a country and a historical region in the along the northeast ...
, on the spot where in 1790 Russian troops under the command of General Johann Hermann von Fersen
Johann Hermann von Fersen (around 1740 - 9 June 1801) was a Saxon-born infantry general who served from 1770 in the Imperial Russian Army.
Life
He was involved in the battles at Larga and Kagul in the military operations against Yemelyan Pugache ...
(Ivan Ivanovich Herman fon Fersen) defeated the Ottoman Batal Pasha.[ In honor of the victory over Batal Pasha, the fort was named Batalpashinskaya; it was a ]redoubt
A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...
surrounded by an earthen rampart and ditch.[ (That the fort was named for an enemy leader may have led villagers to prefer the nickname ''Pashinka''.)
The settlement itself was founded as the ]Cossack
The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
''stanitsa
A stanitsa ( rus, станица, p=stɐˈnʲitsə; uk, станиця, stanytsya) is a village inside a Cossack host ( uk, військо, viys’ko; russian: казачье войско, kazach’ye voysko, sometimes translated as "Cossack Arm ...
'' of Batalpashinskaya near the Russian Army outpost. The officially recognized year of founding of Batalpashinskaya and modern Cherkessk is 1825. However, the Cossack settlers from the Khopyour and Kuban regiments began arriving in the newly organized ''stanitsa'' not earlier than spring of 1826. In 1860, the village was designated as the administrative center of the Batalpashinsky Otdel of the Kuban Oblast
The Kuban Oblast was a province (''oblast'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It roughly corresponded to most of the Kuban and Circassia regions. It was created in 1860 out of Kuban Cossack territories that had once been part of ...
.[ A decree of 30 December 1869 by ]Tsar Alexander II
Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Fin ...
transformed the village into a city of Batalpashinsk but the decree was never implemented, and Batalpashinskaya remained a ''stanitsa'' until the Soviet times. In 1888, the village became a seat of one of Kuban's seven otdels.
In 1922, the village became the seat of the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast
Karachay-Cherkessia Autonomous Oblast (; krc, Къарачай-Черкес автоном область, translit=Qaraçay-Çerkes avtonom oblast; kbd, Къэрэшей-Черкес автономнэ область , translit=Qərəṩey-Cher ...
of the RSFSR
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
,[ and in 1926, the ]Cherkess National Okrug
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
. In 1931, it was granted town status and renamed Batalpashinsk. It received its current name of Cherkessk in 1939.[ The city was occupied by the ]Nazi German
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
''Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
'' during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
(the Great Patriotic War
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...
) from 11 August 1942 to 17 January 1943[ as part of the ]Case Blue
Case Blue (German: ''Fall Blau'') was the German Armed Forces' plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942, during World War II. The objective was to capture the oil fields of the Cauca ...
offensive. In 1957, it became the capital of the reformed Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast which became the Karachay–Cherkess Republic
The Karachay-Cherkess Republic (russian: Карача́ево-Черке́сская Респу́блика, ''Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika''; krc, Къарачай-Черкес Республика, ''Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika''; Cir ...
in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
.
Administrative and municipal status
Cherkessk is the capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of the republic.[Law #84-RZ] Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is incorporated as the city of republic significance of Cherkessk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
. As a municipal division, the city of republic significance of Cherkessk is incorporated as Cherkessk Urban Okrug.[Law #41-RZ]
Population
The population of Cherkessk was 129,069 in the 2010 Census, 116,244 in the 2002 Census and 113,060 in the 1989 Soviet Census.
Ethnic groups
The city is inhabited by Russians
, native_name_lang = ru
, image =
, caption =
, population =
, popplace =
118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate)
, region1 =
, pop1 ...
, native Cherkess
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
(Circassians
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia in ...
), Karachays
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situated ...
, Abaza, Nogays
The Nogais ( Nogai: Ногай, , Ногайлар, ) are a Turkic ethnic group who live in the North Caucasus region. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and Astrakhan Oblast; some als ...
and minorities of Ukrainians
Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian. The majority ...
, Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
and Armenians
Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...
.
1926
According to the First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union
The 1926 Soviet Census took place in December 1926. It was an important tool in the state-building of the USSR, provided the government with important ethnographic information, and helped in the transformation from Imperial Russian society to Sov ...
of 1926, inhabitants of Batalpashinsk (present-day Cherkessk) included:[Этнокавказ. Национальный состав КЧР по переписям 1926—2002]
*Russians
, native_name_lang = ru
, image =
, caption =
, population =
, popplace =
118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate)
, region1 =
, pop1 ...
(82.7%)
*Ukrainians
Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian. The majority ...
(9.0%)
*Karachays
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situated ...
(0.8%)
*Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
(Pontic Greeks
The Pontic Greeks ( pnt, Ρωμαίοι, Ρωμίοι, tr, Pontus Rumları or , el, Πόντιοι, or , , ka, პონტოელი ბერძნები, ), also Pontian Greeks or simply Pontians, are an ethnically Greek group in ...
) (0.2%)
1939
The 1937 census results were suppressed and destroyed but the Soviet census of 1939 recorded:[
*Russians (87.6%)
*Ukrainians (3.6%)
*]Abazins
The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza (Abaza language, Abaza and Abkhaz language, Abkhaz: Абаза; Circassian language, Circassian: Абазэхэр; russian: Абазины; tr, Abazalar; ar, أباظة), are an ethnic group of the Caucasus, Nort ...
(1.5%)
*Adyghes
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia i ...
(i.e. Cherkesses
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia i ...
) (1.4%)
*Karachays (0.8%)
*Ossetians
The Ossetians or Ossetes (, ; os, ир, ирæттæ / дигорӕ, дигорӕнттӕ, translit= ir, irættæ / digoræ, digorænttæ, label=Ossetic) are an Iranian ethnic group who are indigenous to Ossetia, a region situated across the no ...
(0.5%)
*Nogais
The Nogais ( Nogai: Ногай, , Ногайлар, ) are a Turkic ethnic group who live in the North Caucasus region. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and Astrakhan Oblast; some als ...
(0.5%)
*Greeks (0.5%)
1959
The Soviet census of 1959 recorded:[
*Russians (87.7%)
*Ukrainians (2.8%)
*]Cherkesses
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia i ...
(2.1%)
*Abazins (1.8%)
*Karachays (1.6%)
*Nogais (0.4%)
*Greeks (0.4%)
*Ossetians (0.4%)
1970
The Soviet census of 1970 recorded:[
*Russians (74.5%)
*Cherkesses (6.4%)
*Karachays (6.2%)
*Abazins (5.0%)
*Ukrainians (2.1%)
*Nogais (1.0%)
*Greeks (0.5%)
*Ossetians (0.5%)
]
1989
According to the 1989 data from the final Soviet census, the population of the city included:[
*Russians (67.8%)
*Cherkesses (9.0%)
*Karachays (7.8%)
*Abazins (6.5%)
*Ukrainians (2.2%)
*Nogais (1.2%)
*Ossetians (0.5%)
*Greeks (0.5%)
]
2002
In 2002, the Russian census
A Russian census is a census of the population of Russia. Such a census has occurred at various irregular points in the history of Russia.
Introduced in 1897 during the Russian Empire, the census took place decennially since 2010 according to the ...
reported the population including:
*Russians
, native_name_lang = ru
, image =
, caption =
, population =
, popplace =
118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate)
, region1 =
, pop1 ...
(55.5%)
*Karachays
The Karachays ( krc, Къарачайлыла, Qaraçaylıla or таулула, , 'Mountaineers') are an indigenous Caucasian Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus. They speak Karachay-Balkar, a Turkic language. They are mostly situated ...
(13.8%)
*Cherkesses
The Circassians (also referred to as Cherkess or Adyghe; Adyghe and Kabardian: Адыгэхэр, romanized: ''Adıgəxər'') are an indigenous Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation native to the historical country-region of Circassia i ...
(12.6%)
*Abazins
The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza (Abaza language, Abaza and Abkhaz language, Abkhaz: Абаза; Circassian language, Circassian: Абазэхэр; russian: Абазины; tr, Abazalar; ar, أباظة), are an ethnic group of the Caucasus, Nort ...
(8.1%)
*Nogais
The Nogais ( Nogai: Ногай, , Ногайлар, ) are a Turkic ethnic group who live in the North Caucasus region. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and Astrakhan Oblast; some als ...
(1.5%)
*Ukrainians
Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian. The majority ...
(1.3%)
*Ossetians
The Ossetians or Ossetes (, ; os, ир, ирæттæ / дигорӕ, дигорӕнттӕ, translit= ir, irættæ / digoræ, digorænttæ, label=Ossetic) are an Iranian ethnic group who are indigenous to Ossetia, a region situated across the no ...
(0.6%)
*Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
(Pontic Greeks
The Pontic Greeks ( pnt, Ρωμαίοι, Ρωμίοι, tr, Pontus Rumları or , el, Πόντιοι, or , , ka, პონტოელი ბერძნები, ), also Pontian Greeks or simply Pontians, are an ethnically Greek group in ...
) (0.4%)
*Other (6.1%)
2010
In 2010, the population included:
*Russians (54.7%)
*Karachays (16.4%)
*Cherkesses (13.2%)
*Abazins (8.2%)
*Nogais (1.5%)
*Other (6.0%)
Education
Cherkessk is home to the following education institutions:
*North Caucasian State Academy
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, energy engineering, business management, accounting, finance, medical school. www.kchgta.ru
* Moscow Social Open University (branch)
* Moscow Modern Arts Institute (branch)
*Rostov State Economic University (branch)
Rostov ( rus, Росто́в, p=rɐˈstof) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring of Russia, Golden Ring. It is located on the s ...
* Karachay-Cherkess State College
*Daurov Art College
Soslan Tamazovich Daurov (russian: Сослан Тамазович Дауров, be, Саслан Тамазавіч Даураў, born 15 January 1991) is a Russian Greco-Roman wrestler who represents Belarus in the 59 kg and 67 kg c ...
: art, interior design, music, choreography divisions
* Republican Children Art School: music, art, choreography divisions
Culture
*Drama Theater: ethnic, modern and classical plays
*State Philharmonic: classical and ethnic orchestra performances
*Elbrus State Ensemble: ethnic North Caucasian dances, dance studio
*Ensemble of Cossack Dance and Song: ethnic performances
Notable people
* David Safaryan
David Safaryan ( hy, Դավիթ Սաֆարյան; born 1 August 1989) is an Armenian and Russian Freestyle wrestling, Freestyle wrestler and World and European Champion.
Biography
Safaryan was born on 1 August 1989 in Cherkessk, Russia. He began ...
, World champion in weightlifting representing Armenia
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
External links
Official website of Cherkessk
Cherkessk Business Directory
{{Authority control
Populated places established in 1825
1825 establishments in the Russian Empire
Kuban Oblast