• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Istanbul
  • Cappadocia
  • Mediterranean
  • Aegean
  • Black Sea
  • Other Places
Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish People, Culture, History, and Places inTurkey

  • Culture and Traditions
  • Food and Drink
  • History
  • Travel Tips
  • Living in Turkey
  • About Turkey
    • About the Blog
    • Advertising
    • Contact

Cultural Connections in Kars City

by Natalie

Kars city was a destination on my north to east tour of Turkey. Before I left, I excitedly discussed my plans with two Turkish friends. I was going to spend one day in Kars with a tour group, then extend my stay on my own for three days.

The mention of Kars prompted astonished looks on their faces.

 “You cannot stay in Kars alone” they said. “You will never come back”

Now at this point, I was concerned. What did they know that I didn’t?  Was Kars a center for human trafficking?

Was in the back of beyond, far from civilization?

They continued their concern without answering my question

“Just it is a horrible city and you won’t come back”

Now, knowing my friends and their lack of travel experiences, I asked when they had actually visited the city. It turned out they had never been. Not even anywhere near it! So in my eyes, their concerns were unfounded but I soon discovered they were not the first Turks to think like that. Perhaps it’s the mishmash of cultural and historical identities that puts many people off Kars but this just enhanced my visit to the city.

Kars city in Turkey

Kars History With the Russians

Kars has a strong connection with Russia. The Russian empire attacked Kars in 1828 and seized control from the Ottomans but it was a tug-of-war; they lost power and seized it again in 1878. After the First World War, it fell to Armenian rule, then eventually the Turkish republic.

The Russians were not going to give up though and in 1945, attempted to regain Kars through peaceful dialogue. They were unsuccessful. These days, the only Russian connection is seen in architecture style of old buildings, many of which now are under preservation status.

Old Russian building in Kars, Turkey

It was suggested to me that I could find out more about  Russian presence in the Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Pasa house, however despite three visits to this museum, it was always closed.

Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Pasa house
Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Pasa house

The Armenian Historical Connection

Kars is situated a small distance from the border with Armenia and is rarely mentioned in travel guides.  This is a shame because it’s the nearest overnight accommodation to the historical 1001 churches. Known as the ruins of Ani, these old Armenian churches are not on the grand scale of other historical ruins like Ephesus, but they are certainly impressive.

The problem is they are in the East of Turkey and most tourism promotion in Turkey is focused on the long sandy beaches of the West. There are also political issues between Turkey and Armenia that perhaps explains the lack of interest.  

Ani Ruins

Azerbaijan Locals

Apart from a leachy taxi driver, the people of Kars were friendly and welcoming. The younger generations appeared positively enthusiastic and have embraced fashion trends that were evident in tight blue jeans, high heels and logo T-shirts. This was far different from the eastern conservative dress sense that I expected.

There were also a small percentage of locals that stood out because of their facial appearances.  Men and women displayed chiselled, clean looks with defining features and piercing eyes. Their skin was a lot lighter but perfectly suited the jet black hair that framed their faces.

It was only a slight difference that first time visitors to Turkey would not pick up on however I had never seen this typical Turkish or Kurdish facial appearance before. Anyone who knows Turkey will also agree that from the west to the east, facial appearances and characteristics do change; the stereotype light coloured hair of  Laz people  is one example.

I assumed the different facial appearance was because of the historical connections to Russia or Armenia so during a chance conversation with a local stationary shop owner; I questioned the ethnic diversity of the population of Kars. The biggest surprise was that there are many Azerbaijanis in Kars. Some just come over the border to work, while others have Azerbaijan blood in the family history.

The Azerbaijan influences might not be present in history, churches or the architectural style of buildings but it does add another twist to the diversity of Kars to find out they form a large percentage of the population.

Understanding Kars City

I have researched the presence of Russians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds and Turks in Kars. The result is a confusing and intertwining connection throughout a historical time-line full of conflict. These days, it is peaceful city though and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. If anyone tells you not to go to Kars, ignore them. It is not a dark city in the back of beyond. It is culturally rich and a wonderful place to visit.

Further Reading

  • Writer Merve  Busra  Özturk explores the cultural richness of Kars due to it being a border city
  • Writer Pat Yale suggests the negative attitude about Kars is because of Orhan Pamuk’s novel “Snow”. She encourages a visit to the city and has listed things to do
  • Plot line for the famous novel “Snow” which is set in the city of Kars

Kars city

 [wp_geo_map]

Save

Pin86
Share39
Tweet
Share
125 Shares

Filed Under: Other Places in Turkey

Hi. I'm Natalie, a freelance travel blogger and writer specializing in the country of Turkey. I love hot summer days, historical sites and coffee. Read More…

Primary Sidebar

istanbul tourist pass

Search This Website

Popular Posts

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman EmpireDolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman Empire49K Total Shares
The Colourful Wooden Mosque of MaralThe Colourful Wooden Mosque of Maral6K Total Shares
Santa Claus and His Life in TurkeySanta Claus and His Life in Turkey5K Total Shares
Sanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in TurkeySanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in Turkey4K Total Shares
The Serene House of the Virgin MaryThe Serene House of the Virgin Mary3K Total Shares
Ottoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in IstanbulOttoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul3K Total Shares

Footer

Everything Else

  • Blog Sitemap
  • GDPR, Privacy and Cookies
  • Terms of Use and Disclaimer

Of Interest

  • About Us
  • Advertising and PR
  • Map of Turkey

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright @2023 - Turkish Travel Blog

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT