Yusufeli
Encyclopedia
Yusufeli is a town and district of Artvin Province
in the Black Sea region of Turkey
. It is located on the bank of Çoruh River 104 km south-west of the city of Artvin
, on the road to Erzurum
.
The town of Yusufeli (population 5863) sits in a valley where the Çoruh River
is joined by the Barhal, the surrounding countryside is a range of mountains running east to west, with villages in other valleys between the mountains; little of Yusufeli is flat and this is a beautiful landscape, with streams, lakes and excellent views.
The micro climate allows the cultivation of olives, grapes, and citrus fruits, the driving forces of the economy in addition to tourism. The town can be reached by air via Erzurum Airport
, 135 km (84 mi) away from Yusufeli or by road from Artvin, Erzurum and Trabzon
(via İspir
in Erzurum Province
).
With many kind of tourism facilities like rafting and many other water sports, tracking, mountain climbing, hunting, camping, photography, floristry, historical castles and churches and natural beauties Yusufeli is an excellent tourism location.
There is a widely-criticised plan to dam the Çoruh at Yusufeli
, which would submerge 15,000 homes.
The history of Yusufeli, formerly Perterek or Pertarek, is traced to 3000 BC, the Bronze Age. The area has since been inhabited by Hurri
, Urartu
, Persians
, Ancient Romans, Byzantine
s, Georgians
and Armenians
. In the Turkish era the area has been settled by Seljuks, Saltuks, Ilkhanate
s, Tamerlan, Akkoyunlu, Safevids and the Ottoman Empire
.
In 1879 the area was the district of Kiksim in the county of Çıldır. Then following the war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia it became a county of Erzurum.
Because of the rocky geography it was difficult for people from all villages to reach the city center, so a local district was established centred on Ögdem, but this was still inaccessible so Kılıçkaya (Ersis) became the center of county. Ersis means "a place where no boys live", so-called because so many sons of the district were lost in the Russo-Turkish War of 1878 and First World War. In the year 1912 the county name became Yusuf İli, i.e. "province of Yusuf" so the name Kiskim should not be confused with the name Keskin which was a county of Ankara at that time.
region featuring the clarinet type zurna
, a drum and bagpipes.
There are a number of historical Georgian
churches in the valleys of Yusufeli, including the ruins of four churches ("dört kilise') in a village off the road to İspir
(Map).
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 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...
. It is located on the bank of Çoruh River 104 km south-west of the city 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...
, on the road to Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
.
The town of Yusufeli (population 5863) sits in a valley where 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...
is joined by the Barhal, the surrounding countryside is a range of mountains running east to west, with villages in other valleys between the mountains; little of Yusufeli is flat and this is a beautiful landscape, with streams, lakes and excellent views.
The micro climate allows the cultivation of olives, grapes, and citrus fruits, the driving forces of the economy in addition to tourism. The town can be reached by air via Erzurum Airport
Erzurum Airport
Erzurum Airport is a military and public airport serving the city of Erzurum in eastern Turkey. Inaugurated in 1966, it is 11 km far from the city.The airport's public passenger terminal covers an area of 5,750 m² and has an open-air parking lot for 200 cars....
, 135 km (84 mi) away from Yusufeli or by road from Artvin, Erzurum and Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
(via İspir
İspir
İspir is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, on the Çoruh River. The mayor is Osman Çakır . The district has a population of 30260 while the town has a population of 11789.-History:...
in Erzurum Province
Erzurum Province
Erzurum Province is a Province of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region of the country. It is bordered by the provinces of Kars and Ağrı to the east, Muş and Bingöl to the south, Erzincan and Bayburt to the west, Rize and Artvin to the north and Ardahan to the northeast. The provincial capital is...
).
With many kind of tourism facilities like rafting and many other water sports, tracking, mountain climbing, hunting, camping, photography, floristry, historical castles and churches and natural beauties Yusufeli is an excellent tourism location.
There is a widely-criticised plan to dam the Çoruh at Yusufeli
Yusufeli Dam
The Yusufeli Dam is a proposed embankment dam on the Çoruh River near Yusufeli in Artvin Province within the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The Yusufeli Dam will be the second largest dam within the larger Çoruh River Development Plan which plans to build 13 dams, of which 2 are operational...
, which would submerge 15,000 homes.
History
Hurri
Hurri is a state along with Mitanni of the more inclusive "Hurri lands," which many scholars locate in Armenia. The name Hurri is also spelled Harri, the root word for Aryan....
, Urartu
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
, Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
, Ancient Romans, Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
s, Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
. In the Turkish era the area has been settled by Seljuks, Saltuks, Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
s, Tamerlan, Akkoyunlu, Safevids and the Ottoman Empire
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 1879 the area was the district of Kiksim in the county of Çıldır. Then following the war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia it became a county of Erzurum.
Because of the rocky geography it was difficult for people from all villages to reach the city center, so a local district was established centred on Ögdem, but this was still inaccessible so Kılıçkaya (Ersis) became the center of county. Ersis means "a place where no boys live", so-called because so many sons of the district were lost in the Russo-Turkish War of 1878 and First World War. In the year 1912 the county name became Yusuf İli, i.e. "province of Yusuf" so the name Kiskim should not be confused with the name Keskin which was a county of Ankara at that time.
Culture
The folk music and culture is typical of 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...
region featuring the clarinet type zurna
Zurna
The zurna , is a multinational outdoor wind instrument, usually accompanied by a davul in Anatolian folk music. The name is from Turkish zurna, itself derived from Persian سرنای surnāy, composed of sūr “banquet, feast” and nāy “reed, pipe”...
, a drum and bagpipes.
There are a number of historical Georgian
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
churches in the valleys of Yusufeli, including the ruins of four churches ("dört kilise') in a village off the road to İspir
İspir
İspir is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, on the Çoruh River. The mayor is Osman Çakır . The district has a population of 30260 while the town has a population of 11789.-History:...
(Map).
Places of interest
There are many medieval forts and Georgian churches in the valleys of Yusufeli. Some of them :- Armashen fortress
- Ersis fortress
- Nihak fortres
- Oshnak fortress
- Ishan monastery
- Ogdem fortress
- Peterek fortress
- Parhal momnastery
- SavanginSavanginSavangin is a pre-historical natural cave with an inscription written unknown or unsolved alphabet in Yusufeli town of Artvin, Turkey....
, a pre-historical cave with an inscription written in an undeciphered writing system
Notable natives
- The singer and politician Zülfü LivaneliZülfü LivaneliÖmer Zülfü Livanelioğlu is a popular Turkish folk musician , a novelist, newspaper columnist and a film director who has been highly popular for decades...
was born into a family from Yusufeli. - The mayor of IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Kadir TopbaşKadir TopbasKadir Topbaş is a Turkish architect, right-wing regional politician and the current mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey.-Biography:...
was born in Yusufeli.