Iğdır (
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
; ku, Îdir or ; hy, Իգդիր, Igdir, also ) is the capital of
Iğdır Province in the
Eastern Anatolia Region of
Turkey.
History
Iğdır went by the Armenian name of Tsolakert during the
Middle Ages.
[ s.v. "Igdir," Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, 1978, vol. 4, p. 309.] When the Spanish traveler
Ruy González de Clavijo passed through this region in the early 15th century, he stayed a night in a castle he called Egida, located at the foot of
Mount Ararat. Clavijo describes it as being built upon a rock and ruled by a woman, the widow of a brigand that
Timurlane had put to death. Because modern Iğdır has no such rock, and is a considerable distance from the Ararat foothills, it is believed that medieval Iğdır was located at a different site, at a place also known as Tsolakert, now called
Taşburun. Russian excavations there at the end of the 19th century discovered the ruins of houses and what was identified as a church, as well as traces of fortifications. The settlement may have been abandoned after an earthquake in 1664. In 1555 the town became a part of the
Safavid Empire
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
, remaining under Persian rule (with brief military occupations by the
Ottomans in 1514, between 1534–35, 1548–49, 1554–55, 1578–1605, 1635–36 and 1722–46) until it fell into the hands of the Russian Empire after the
Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828.
Modern history
Iğdır, or Igdir, was taken by the
Russian Empire from Persia after the latter's defeat in the
Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828. It was organized as part of the
Armenian Oblast in 1828 and made a part of the
Georgia-
Imeretia Governorate in 1840, and then the
Surmalu Uyezd
The Surmalu uezd was a county (''uezd'') of the Erivan Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire. It bordered the governorate's Etchmiadzin and Erivan uezds to the north, the Kars Oblast to the west, Persia to the east, and th ...
of the
Erivan Governorate in 1850. According to the Russian family lists accounts from 1886, of the total 30,647 inhabitants of the district 11,868 were Tatars (38.7%, later known as
Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
), 15,204
Armenians (49.6%) and 3,575 Kurds (11.7%).
[ ]
Свод статистических данных о населении Закавказского края, ИГДЫРСКИЙ УЧАСТОК (1886 г.)
'. Tiflis, 1893. An 1894 publication counted 2,912 Armenians living in the town. Under Russian rule, two primary schools, one for boys and the other for girls, and three churches were opened and 100 Armenian families were allowed to move to Igdir. The town's population rose to 10,000 in 1914 and largely busied itself with agriculture and commerce.
Following the
Russian Revolution of October 1917, the area came under the control of a temporary administrative committee created by the three main ethnic groups in the
Caucasus. Though it attempted to negotiate a truce with the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman forces launched an eastward offensive and took Igdir on May 20, 1918. They occupied it until the signing of the
Armistice of Mudros in November 1918. The
Republic of Armenia
A republic () is a "sovereign state, state in which Power (social and political), power rests with the people or their Representative democracy, representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of gov ...
then assumed control over Igdir. The Armenian population suffered heavily during the grueling winter of 1918–19, as famine, disease and the cold killed many. In May 1919, its status was elevated to that of a city.
Based on the boundaries drawn by
US State Department in November 1920, Igdir was envisaged to become a part of the Armenian republic. However, in September 1920 the government of the
Grand National Assembly of
Turkey led by
Mustafa Kemal launched a war to eliminate the republic and overran Igdir.
Turkish General Kâzım Karabekir commanded the armies but his forces were initially unable to take Igdir due to strong Armenian resistance. However, within a few days, on October 20, 1920, the Turkish army managed to drive the Armenian forces out of the city. According to official Turkish documents, after their defeat in the
Shahtahti area, Armenian forces abandoned Iğdır. They burned the
Markara Bridge which spanned the
Aras river and retreated to the northern bank on November 13, 1920. Turkey annexed the region of Iğdır after the conclusion of several peace treaties, and its territorial gains were mainly formalized under the 1921
Treaty of Kars.
In the early years of the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, Igdir, now Iğdır, was a district of the province of
Bayazıt. It was made a part of the
Kars Province in 1934 and remained part of it until it became the seat of the newly formed
Iğdır Province on 27 May 1992.
Government
In the
municipal elections of March 2019, Yaşar Akkuş from the
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was elected mayor. He was dismissed due to terror related investigations on 15 May 2020,
and Enver Ünlü, the Governor of the province, was appointed as a trustee for the municipality on the same day.
Geography
The city of Iğdır sits on a plain at a lower altitude than most of Turkey's eastern provinces. This allows
agricultural production including
apples,
tomatoes,
cucumbers,
peaches,
pears,
sugar beet
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wi ...
,
watermelons and
melons. However, the most famous produce of Iğdır are
cotton and
apricot
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...
s.
Climate
Iğdır has a
continental semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below Evapotranspiration#Potential evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a des ...
(
Köppen: ''BSk,''
Trewartha
Trewartha and Andrewartha are Cornish family names (and placename, Dexter). There are places called Trewartha in the parishes of Merther, St Agnes, St Neot and Veryan.
According to the ''Handbook of Cornish Names'' by G. Pawley White, "Trew ...
: ''BS'') with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Iğdır is the driest city in Turkey, averaging of precipitation per year.
Health
Air pollution is a chronic problem here, mainly due to the burning of
coal.
In 2021, Iğdır became the Europe’s most polluted city.
According to MPs and specialists, another health risk arises from the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant in
Metsamor, which is a
border town in
Armenia near Iğdır. Recent researches show that the nuclear power plant causes
cancer cases increases in the region.
Architecture
On a peninsula close to the closed
border with Armenia, and currently within a military zone, near the village of
Sürmeli, stands the ruins of the medieval city of Surmari, with a citadel whose surviving walls date from 1224. A restored 13th century Armenian
caravanserai
A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
known as the
Caravanserai of Zor is another historical structure near Iğdır.
Iğdır Genocide Memorial and Museum
The "Iğdır Soykırım Anıt-Müzesi", or
Iğdır Genocide Memorial and Museum, is a memorial-museum complex which promotes
Armenian genocide denial. Construction on the memorial began in August 1997, and was opened to the public on October 5, 1999 by the Turkish Minister of State
Ramazan Mirzaoğlu
Ramazan often refers to:
* Ramadan or Ramazan, the holy month in Islam during which Muslims fast for 30 days
Ramazan may also refer to:
Given name (people)
Sportsmen
*Ramazan Tavşancıoğlu (born 1984), Australian football (soccer) player ...
.
[Igdir Genocide Monument and Museum]
"
The stated aim of the memorial is to "commemorate massacres and persecution committed by Armenians in Iğdır Province" during
World War I and the
Turkish–Armenian War. The memorial was built to further
Armenian genocide denial and the disproven narrative that, during World War I, it was Armenians who killed Turks rather than vice versa.
Culture
Iğdır's culture is part of the larger
culture of Turkey
The culture of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Kültürü) combines a heavily diverse and heterogeneous set of elements that have been derived from the various cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, Caucasia, Middle East and Central Asia ...
. The rising agricultural production and the opening of a border gate with
Nakhchivan in 1992 have enabled the town to be livelier and wealthier than its neighbours in the generally impoverished eastern Turkey. There are many cafes and restaurants. The best-known dish is a meat stew called ''bozbaş''.
Media
Iğdır has 12 local daily and weekly newspapers. The most prominent of these is ''Yeşil Iğdır'' which has been published since 1 September 1955.
Economy
The main economic activities in Iğdır are the commerce of agricultural and animal products.
[
The city of Iğdır is located between ]Kars
Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography ( Strabo), part of ...
and Ağrı. Despite the fact that it has three strategically important neighbours, the border gate to Armenia is closed and there is no direct access to Iran, therefore this situation diminishes economic possibilities.
About 70% percent of Mount Ararat's area lies within Iğdır's borders, however the investments for developing tourism in Mt. Ararat is paid to Ağrı Municipality.
Demographics
According to the Russian family lists accounts from 1886, of the total 71,066 inhabitants of the districts 34,351 were Azerbaijanis (48.3%, mentioned as 'Tatars' in the source), 22,096 Armenians (31.1%) and 14,619 Kurds (20.6%). According to the Russian Empire Census
The first general census of the population of the Russian Empire in 1897 ( pre-reform Russian: ) was the first and only nation-wide census performed in the Russian Empire (the Grand Duchy of Finland was excluded). It recorded demographic data as ...
in 1897 Iğdır had a population of 4,680, of which 3,934 (84%) were Armenians, and 559 (12%) were Russians. The province is populated by Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
and Kurds.
Transport
Transport to Iğdır is via roads or air.
Turkish state route and European route (part of ) pass through Iğdır.
Iğdır Airport
Iğdır Airport ( tr, Iğdır Şehit Bülent Aydın Havalimanı) is a public airport in Iğdır, located in Iğdır Province, Turkey. Opened to civil air traffic in July 2012, the airport is away from Iğdır city centre. The airport is a membe ...
, opened in 2012, serves the city with internal flights to Istanbul and Ankara.
Regular bus services connect the city to major national and regional centres.
There is, as of 2016, no rail transport to Iğdır, but it will be a stop on the Nakhchivan-Kars railway when it is completed.
Notable people
* Ataol Behramoğlu, Turkish poet, author and translator of Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani may refer to:
* Something of, or related to Azerbaijan
* Azerbaijanis
* Azerbaijani language
See also
* Azerbaijan (disambiguation)
* Azeri (disambiguation)
* Azerbaijani cuisine
* Culture of Azerbaijan
The culture of Azerbaijan ...
descent
* Avetis Aharonian
Avetis Aharonian () (4 January 1866 – 20 March 1948) was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement.
Biography
Aharonian was born in 1866 in Surmali, Erivan Governorate, Ru ...
, Armenian politician
* Servet Çetin, Turkish national football team player of Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani may refer to:
* Something of, or related to Azerbaijan
* Azerbaijanis
* Azerbaijani language
See also
* Azerbaijan (disambiguation)
* Azeri (disambiguation)
* Azerbaijani cuisine
* Culture of Azerbaijan
The culture of Azerbaijan ...
descent
* Eduard Isabekyan
Eduard Isabekyan (; November 8, 1914 – August 17, 2007) was an Armenians, Armenian Painting, painter, founder of thematic compositional genre in Armenia.
Biography
*2007 – August 17 Eduard Isabekyan died. Buried in Komitas Pantheon
A separ ...
, Armenian painter
* Drastamat Kanayan, Armenian military commander
* Sinan Oğan, Turkish politician; won a seat in the Turkish parliament in 2011 with the right-wing
Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...
Nationalist Movement Party
* Şahin Yakut, Turkish kickboxer and MMA fighter
* Zeynep Sever
Zeynep Kübra Sever Demirel (born 9 July 1989) is a Turkish volleyball player and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Belgium 2009 and also she represented Belgium at Miss Universe 2009, where she was placed among the Top 15.
Perso ...
, Belgian-Turkish volleyball player who was crowned Miss Belgium in 2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
and has represented Belgium in Miss Universe 2009
''kimnereli.net''.
International relations
Diplomatic missions
maintains a consular mission in Iğdır.
Twin towns — sister cities
Iğdır is
Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:
*
Sharur
Sharur ( ) is a city in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. It is the administrative centre of the Sharur District. The city is located 66 km northwest of Nakhchivan city, on the Sharur plain.
History
In a manuscript of the 16t ...
,
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic ( az, Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası, ), is a landlocked exclave of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The region covers Official portal of Nakhchivan Autonomous RepublicNakhchivan Autonomous Republic with a popula ...
,
Azerbaijan
*
Shamakhi,
Azerbaijan
Notes
External links
Official website of the Iğdır Municipality*
Official website of the Iğdır Province*
Iğdır's news website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Igdir
Cities in Turkey
Districts of Iğdır Province
Erivan Governorate
Kurdish settlements in Turkey
Former Armenian inhabited settlements