Savsat
Encyclopedia
Şavşat is a town and district of Artvin Province
in the Black Sea region, between the cities of Artvin
and Kars
on the border with Georgia
at the far eastern end of Turkey
.
coast, but at these altitudes winter lasts a long time; it snows from November to April. The mountains are covered with pine forest, with some broadleaf forest at lower elevations.
In this landscape there is little agricultural land, no industry and the only real potential income is from tourism (people on trekking holidays), herding animals on the mountainside and beekeeping. There are some fruit trees (mainly pears and apples) and some potatoes are grown in the Çoruh River
valley floor. Of the land area 13% can be planted while 27% is used for grazing, 42% is forest and 17% is high mountain.
The town of Şavşat is small (population 7,325) and has few amenities.
and the Urartu
from 900 to 650 BC and later by the Ancient Romans and Sassanids.
It was then one of the Georgian
princedoms in the constellation of several polities which is conventionally known as Tao-Klarjeti
in Georgian. The princedom of Shavsheti included today's districts of Şavşat, Borçka
, and Murgul
in Turkey and Lower Machakheli
in Adjara
(Georgia).
This lasted until it was conquered by the Ottomans
in 1547.
Following the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) Şavşat was among the territories ceded to Russia
, and was returned to the new Republic of Turkey in 1921.
• Balıklı • Cevizli •Ciritdüzü • Çağlapınar • Çağlıyan • Çamlıca • Çavdarlı • Çayağzı • Çermik
• Çiftlik
• Çoraklı (Gargilop) • Çukur • Dalkırmaz • Demirci • Demirkapı • Dereiçi (Dasamop) • Dutlu • Düzenli • Elmalı • Erikli • Eskikale • Hanli • Ilıca
• Karaağaç • Karaköy • Kayabaşı • Kayadibi • Kirazlı • Kireçli • Kocabey • Köprülü • Köprüyaka • Kurudere • Küplüce • Maden
• Meşeli • Meydancık
-Diyoban • Obaköy • Otluca • Pınarlı • Savaş köy • Saylıca • Sebzeli • Susuz • Şalcı • Şenköy
• Şenocak • Tepeköy • Tepebaşı • Üzümlü
• Veliköy • Yağlı Köyü • Yamaçlı köyü • Yaşarköy • Yeşilce • Yoncalı • Yukarı koyunlu • Yavuz
köyü • Ziyaret
köyü
Artvin Province
Artvin Province is a province in Turkey, on the Black Sea coast in the north-eastern corner of the country, on the border with Georgia.The provincial capital is the city of Artvin.-Geography:...
in the Black Sea region, between the cities of Artvin
Artvin
-History:See Artvin Province for the history of the region.-Places of interest:* Artvin or Livana castle, built in 937There are a number of Ottoman Empire houses and public buildings including:* Salih Bey mosque, built in 1792...
and Kars
Kars
Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
on the border with Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
at the far eastern end of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Geography
Like most districts of Artvin this is a beautiful hilly area surrounded by high mountains on all sides, including the 3,537 m Karçkal mountains to the west, and watered by many mountain streams and pools. There are trout in the largest, Şavşat Karagöl lake and a number of mineral water springs. The area has a cold inland climate, somewhat tempered by being above the Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coast, but at these altitudes winter lasts a long time; it snows from November to April. The mountains are covered with pine forest, with some broadleaf forest at lower elevations.
In this landscape there is little agricultural land, no industry and the only real potential income is from tourism (people on trekking holidays), herding animals on the mountainside and beekeeping. There are some fruit trees (mainly pears and apples) and some potatoes are grown in the Çoruh River
Çoruh River
The Çoruh River or Ch'orokhi River rises in the Mescit Mountains in north-eastern Turkey, flows through the cities of Bayburt, Ispir, Yusufeli, and Artvin, along the Kelkit-Çoruh Fault, before flowing into Georgia, where it reaches the Black Sea just south of Batumi and a few kilometers north of...
valley floor. Of the land area 13% can be planted while 27% is used for grazing, 42% is forest and 17% is high mountain.
The town of Şavşat is small (population 7,325) and has few amenities.
History
This area was occupied by the CimmeriansCimmerians
The Cimmerians or Kimmerians were ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin.According to the Greek historian Herodotus, of the 5th century BC, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC, in what is now Ukraine and Russia...
and the Urartu
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
from 900 to 650 BC and later by the Ancient Romans and Sassanids.
It was then one of the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
princedoms in the constellation of several polities which is conventionally known as Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti is the term conventionally used in modern history writing to describe the historic south-western Georgian principalities, now forming part of north-eastern Turkey and divided among the provinces of Erzurum, Artvin, Ardahan and Kars...
in Georgian. The princedom of Shavsheti included today's districts of Şavşat, Borçka
Borçka
Borçka is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey, on the border with Georgia.Borçka is reached by a winding road up from the Black Sea coast, alongside the Çoruh River. There is an ancient stone bridge across the river just west of the town.Borçka Lake is a popular...
, and Murgul
Murgul
Murgul is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey.Previously known as Damar and Göktaş Murgul is on a tributary of the Çoruh River, with mountains on all sides....
in Turkey and Lower Machakheli
Machakheli
Machakheli , is a historical geographical area and long valley along the river Machakhlistskali between Turkey and Georgia. There are 23 settled villages in this valley....
in Adjara
Adjara
Adjara , officially the Autonomous Republic of Adjara , is an autonomous republic of Georgia.Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea...
(Georgia).
This lasted until it was conquered by the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1547.
Following the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) Şavşat was among the territories ceded to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and was returned to the new Republic of Turkey in 1921.
Villages
Akdamla köyü • Arpalı • Aşağı koyunlu • AtalarAtalar
Atalar is a town in Tarsus district of Mersin Province, Turkey. It is situated in Çukurova plains at about . It is west of Yeşiltepe . Distance to Tarsus is and to Mersin is . The population is 1976. as of 2010....
• Balıklı • Cevizli •Ciritdüzü • Çağlapınar • Çağlıyan • Çamlıca • Çavdarlı • Çayağzı • Çermik
Çermik
Çermik is a town and district of Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. The population is 17962 -References:...
• Çiftlik
Çiftlik
Çiftlik is a town and district of Niğde Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, 67 km from the town of Niğde, and 65 km from Aksaray. There is a much shorter route over the mountains to Niğde but that road is often under snow and closed in winter...
• Çoraklı (Gargilop) • Çukur • Dalkırmaz • Demirci • Demirkapı • Dereiçi (Dasamop) • Dutlu • Düzenli • Elmalı • Erikli • Eskikale • Hanli • Ilıca
Ilica
Ilıca is Turkish for spa, spa town or hot springs. It may refer to:* Ilıca, Erzurum, Turkey* Ilıca, Çeşme, Turkey* Ilıca, Manavgat, Turkey...
• Karaağaç • Karaköy • Kayabaşı • Kayadibi • Kirazlı • Kireçli • Kocabey • Köprülü • Köprüyaka • Kurudere • Küplüce • Maden
Maden
Maden is a town and district of Elâzığ Province of Turkey. The mayor is Musa Orhan . The population is 5164....
• Meşeli • Meydancık
Meydancik
Meydancık is a village in Imerkhevi in Şavşat District of Artvin Province. Meydancık stands for the official name given by Turkish authorities in 1925, it literally means "the small square / field". Meydancık is a municipality with a population of 2,059 in 2000 with the centre and six hamlets...
-Diyoban • Obaköy • Otluca • Pınarlı • Savaş köy • Saylıca • Sebzeli • Susuz • Şalcı • Şenköy
Şenköy
Şenköy is a town in Hatay Province, Turkey.Şenköy is south of Antakya on the way to Yayladağı at . The population is 1731 as of 2010....
• Şenocak • Tepeköy • Tepebaşı • Üzümlü
Üzümlü
Üzümlü is a town and district of Erzincan Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. It has a population of 13,636 of which 7,112 live in the town of Üzümlü. The mayor is Sami Sertadım .-External links:*...
• Veliköy • Yağlı Köyü • Yamaçlı köyü • Yaşarköy • Yeşilce • Yoncalı • Yukarı koyunlu • Yavuz
Yavuz
Yavuz is a common masculine Turkish given name. In Turkish, "Yavuz" means "stern", and/or "resolute".-Given name:* Yavuz Eraydın, Turkish footballer* Yavuz Bingöl, Turkish actor* Yavuz Özkan, Turkish footballer* Yavuz Sultan Selim-Surname:...
köyü • Ziyaret
Ziyaret
Ziyaret is the Turkish term for a place of pilgrimage. It literally means 'meeting'. It seems to be derived from Ziyarat, a Persian term for an Islamic pilgrimage, which itself is derived from the Arabic Ziyarah....
köyü
Places of interest
- Papart forest
- Qenciyan Hill, overlooks the border and the Binboğa lakes.
- Şavşat Karagöl lake, a large trout lake in the forest, and the crater lake of Kuyruklu.