Artvin, Turkey

Welcome to Artvin, a city located in the northeastern region of Turkey, just 30 kilometers inland from the Black Sea. With a population of 25,841, Artvin is the seat of Artvin Province and Artvin District. The city is situated on a hill overlooking the Çoruh River near the Deriner Dam, and is home to Artvin Çoruh University. Artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age and even earlier have been found in the area, which was part of the kingdom of Colchis and part of the Greater Armenia. Throughout history, Artvin has been vulnerable to invasions, first by the Scythians from across the Caucasus, then by Muslim armies led by Habib, son of Caliph Uthman. The region became a cultural safe-house and one of the most important religious centers of Georgia. The Seljuk Turks of Alp Arslan conquered the area in 1064 AD, but it was briefly recaptured by the Georgians with the help of the Byzantines. With the collapse of the Seljuks, the Artvin area came under the control of the Ildeniz tribe of the Anatolian Turkish beyliks. The Kingdom of Georgia regained control over the region through Georgian-Seljuk wars. The largely Georgian population of the region called on the lord of Samtskhe to assist them against the Turkmens. By the mid-13th century, the Jaqelis realm thus incorporated most of the mountainous areas of northeastern Anatolia. Various Turkmen clans fought for control over the area, and this continued until the Safavids ultimately took advantage of the infighting and conquered the area in 1502. The Ottoman Empire under Mehmed II defeated the Empire of Trebizond to bring the eastern Black Sea coast and the mountainous hinterland under their control. Subsequent expeditions into the mountains by Selim I and Mehmed Han Yusufeli gave them control of a number of castles and thus the whole district. Kara Ahmed Pasha, the vizier of Suleiman I, formed the first Livane Sanjak with the name Pert-Eğekte. On 13 July 1551, with Skender Pashas Ardanuç castle, the Ottoman control of Artvin was secure. Ahmed III’s vizier Hasan Pasha founded the city of Batumi in the newly acquired lands of Ajaria, and it became the hub of the area. This lasted 250 years until the area was ceded to the Russians by the Ottoman Empire following the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), and recovered and again ceded at the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Artvin was in a war zone and continuously changing hands between Russia and Turkey with the Treaties of Brest-Litovsk, Moscow, and Kars. The conflict and uncertainty between Russia and Turkey in the late 19th century brought terrible suffering to the people of Artvin (Muslim Georgians), with much of the population moving westwards away from the Russian-controlled areas. The town was the administrative center of the Artvin Okrug of the Batum Oblast. The Russians withdrew from Artvin following the Russian Revolution of 1917; but when the First World War ended with the Ottomans on the losing side, British troops moved into the area in 1918, followed by the Democratic Republic of Georgia. As a result of the Red Army invasion of Georgia, Artvin was ceded to newly established Turkey under the Treaty of Kars in 1921. Artvin is home to Livana Castle, which was once within the medieval Georgian district of Nigali. The site consists of a single circuit wall surrounding the summit of the outcrop, several impressive rooms, an outwork protecting the south entrance, and a large donjon at the west. There are also embrasures and windows suitable for archers. In 1983, the fortress was surveyed, and three years later, an accurate scaled plan and description were published. Artvin is known for the Caucasus (Kafkas in Turkish) Culture and Arts Festival, a celebration that takes place at the Kafkasör plateau every year. The most famous event is the bull wrestling, which draws many local and international visitors. The surrounding countryside offers many places for climbing, trekking, and rafting. Artvin has a Warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) under the Köppen classification, bordering very closely on an Oceanic climate (Cfb), with the wettest winter month, December, having nearly three times the amount of precipitation as the driest summer month, August, which is the prime classifier for a dry-summer climate in the Köppen system. It has a warm summer oceanic climate (Dob) according to the Trewartha classification system. Come and explore the rich history and natural beauty of Artvin, Turkey!