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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox Russian inhabited locality Cherkessk (Template:Langx; Adyghe: Шэрджэс къалэ; Kabardian: Черкес-къалэ) is the capital city of Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population: Template:Ru-census2010 112,782 (2024).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
It was previously known as Batalpashinskaya (until 1931), Batalpashinsk (until 1934), Sulimov (until 1937), Yezhovo-Cherkessk (until 1939).
NamesEdit
In Russian, the city is called {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Čerkessk)<ref name=KNAB>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and has similar names in the languages of the city's other major ethnic groups. In Karachay, it is {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Çerkessk)<ref name=KNAB/> or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Çerkessk şahar); in Kabardian, it is {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Şărdjăs qală) or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Čerkessk);<ref name=KNAB/> in Abaza, it is {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Čerkes q̇ala) or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Čerkessk);<ref name=KNAB/> in Nogai, it is {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Şerkeş şahar) and in Chechen, it is {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Čerkessk).
For its first century of existence, Cherkessk was a stanitsa, a village inside a Cossack host, which from 1825 to 1931 was named Batalpashinskaya stanitsa (Russian: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} Batalpašinskaja stanica)<ref name=KNAB/> and nicknamed Pashinka ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} Pašinka) In 1931, it was renamed Batalpashinsk ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} Batałpašinsk),<ref name=GR>Города России: Черкесск. Энциклопедия — М.: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. И. Кондратьева, 1994. Template:In lang</ref><ref name=KNAB/> and then in quick succession Sulimov ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} Sulimov) in 1934<ref name=GR/><ref name=KNAB/> for Daniil Sulimov, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, and following Sulimov's execution in the Great Purge, Yezhovo-Cherkessk ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} Ježovo-Čerkessk) in 1937<ref name=GR/><ref name=KNAB/> for Nikolai Yezhov, head of the NKVD. With Yezhov's arrest, the initial "Yezhovo-" was dropped, and the city received its present name in 1939.<ref name=GR/><ref name=KNAB/>
HistoryEdit
What is now Cherkessk was established in 1804 as a Russian military fort on the Kuban River, what was then the border with Circassia, on the spot where in 1790 Russian troops under the command of General Johann Hermann von Fersen (Ivan Ivanovich Herman fon Fersen) defeated the Ottoman Batal Pasha.<ref name=GR/> In honor of the victory over Batal Pasha, the fort was named Batalpashinskaya; it was a redoubt surrounded by an earthen rampart and ditch.<ref name=GR/> (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 stanitsa 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.<ref>В. А. Колесников. Былое Невинного Мыса. К 185-летию переселения Хопёрского казачьего полка на Кубань и основания станицы Невиномысской. Ставрополь. «ЮРКИТ» 2011. Template:In lang</ref> In 1860, the village was designated as the administrative center of the Batalpashinsky Otdel of the Kuban Oblast.<ref name=GR/> A decree of 30 December 1869 by Tsar Alexander II transformed the village into a city of Batalpashinsk but the decree was never implemented,<ref>Филиппов Е. В. Город Баталпашинск: проекты и реалии. Template:In lang</ref> and Batalpashinskaya remained a stanitsa until the Soviet times. In 1888, the village became a seat of one of Kuban's seven departments.
In 1922, the village became the seat of the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast of the RSFSR,<ref name=GR/> and in 1926, the Cherkess National Okrug. In 1931, it was granted town status and renamed Batalpashinsk. It received its current name of Cherkessk in 1939.<ref name=KNAB/> The city was occupied by the Nazi German Wehrmacht during World War II (the Eastern Front) from 11 August 1942 to 17 January 1943<ref name=GR/> as part of the Case Blue offensive. In 1957, it became the capital of the reformed Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast which became the Karachay–Cherkess Republic in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union.
Administrative and municipal statusEdit
Cherkessk is the capital of the republic.<ref name="Ref44">Law #84-RZ</ref> 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.<ref name="Ref44" /> As a municipal division, the city of republic significance of Cherkessk is incorporated as Cherkessk Urban Okrug.<ref name="Ref735">Law #41-RZ</ref>
PopulationEdit
The population of Cherkessk was 129,069 in the 2010 Census,<ref name="2010Census"/> 116,244 in the 2002 Census<ref name="2002Census">Template:Ru-pop-ref</ref> and 113,060 in the 1989 Soviet Census.<ref>Template:Ru-pop-ref</ref>
Ethnic groupsEdit
The city is inhabited by Russians, native Cherkess (Circassians), Karachays, Abaza, Nogays and minorities of Ukrainians, Greeks and Armenians.
1926Edit
According to the First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union of 1926, inhabitants of Batalpashinsk (present-day Cherkessk) included:<ref name=EK>Этнокавказ. Национальный состав КЧР по переписям 1926—2002 Template:In lang</ref>
- Russians (82.7%)
- Ukrainians (9.0%)
- Karachays (0.8%)
- Greeks (Pontic Greeks) (0.2%)
1939Edit
The 1937 census results were suppressed and destroyed but the Soviet census of 1939 recorded:<ref name=EK/>
- Russians (87.6%)
- Ukrainians (3.6%)
- Abazin (1.5%)
- Adyghes (i.e. Circassian) (1.4%)
- Karachays (0.8%)
- Ossetians (0.5%)
- Nogais (0.5%)
- Greeks (0.5%)
1959Edit
The Soviet census of 1959 recorded:<ref name=EK/>
- Russians (87.7%)
- Ukrainians (2.8%)
- Circassian (2.1%)
- Abazins (1.8%)
- Karachays (1.6%)
- Nogais (0.4%)
- Greeks (0.4%)
- Ossetians (0.4%)
1970Edit
The Soviet census of 1970 recorded:<ref name=EK/>
- Russians (74.5%)
- Circassian (6.4%)
- Karachays (6.2%)
- Abazins (5.0%)
- Ukrainians (2.1%)
- Nogais (1.0%)
- Greeks (0.5%)
- Ossetians (0.5%)
1989Edit
According to the 1989 data from the final Soviet census, the population of the city included:<ref name=EK/>
- Russians (67.8%)
- Circassian (9.0%)
- Karachays (7.8%)
- Abazins (6.5%)
- Ukrainians (2.2%)
- Nogais (1.2%)
- Ossetians (0.5%)
- Greeks (0.5%)
2002Edit
In 2002, the Russian census reported the population including:<ref name="narod1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Russians (55.5%)
- Karachays (13.8%)
- Circassian (12.6%)
- Abazins (8.1%)
- Nogais (1.5%)
- Ukrainians (1.3%)
- Ossetians (0.6%)
- Greeks (Pontic Greeks) (0.4%)
- Other (6.1%)
2010Edit
In 2010, the population included:Template:Citation needed
- Russians (54.7%)
- Karachays (16.4%)
- Circassian (13.2%)
- Abazins (8.2%)
- Nogais (1.5%)
- Other (6.0%)
2021Edit
In 2021, the population included:<ref name="narod1" />
- Russians (45.5%)
- Karachays (23.8%)
- Circassians (16%)
- Abazins (9.5%)
- Nogais (1.5%)
- Other (3.7%)
ClimateEdit
EducationEdit
Cherkessk is home to the following education institutions:
- North Caucasian State Academy: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, energy engineering, business management, accounting, finance, medical school. www.kchgta.ru<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Moscow Social Open University (branch)
- Moscow Modern Arts Institute (branch)
- Rostov State Economic University (branch)
- Karachay-Cherkess State College
- Daurov Art College: art, interior design, music, choreography divisions
- Republican Children Art School: music, art, choreography divisions
CultureEdit
- 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
SportEdit
- The association football team FC Inter Cherkessk play at the Stadium Nart. FC Nart Cherkessk previously played there, until they were dissolved in 2004.
- The demolished Dombay Stadium or Motodrom was a motorcycle speedway stadium located south of the Stadium Nart and Green Island off Ulitsa Michurina (Template:Coord). The stadium hosted important events including the Continental Speedway final round of the Speedway World Championship in 1972<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and a semi final of the 1991 Speedway Under-21 World Championship.
- The Cherkessk speedway team (under various nicknames) regularly participated in the Soviet Union Championship from 1972 through to 1992<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and then during 1993, in the Russian Championship, winning the bronze medal in 1993.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Notable peopleEdit
- David Safaryan, World champion in freestyle wrestling representing Armenia
ReferencesEdit
NotesEdit
SourcesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Karachay-Cherkess Republic Template:Russian republics capitals Template:List of European capitals by region Template:Authority control