Çıldır (District)

Çıldır is a district in the northeastern part of Türkiye, subordinate to Ardahan. The district is situated on a flat plateau at an average elevation of 1950 meters. With a total area of 752 km², its terrain is partially flat and partially hilly. Çıldır is one of the districts of Türkiye that shares a land border with Georgia for 66 km and with Armenia for 13 km. The Kura and Karasu rivers flow through the district boundaries. The main natural elevations within Çıldır’s borders are Keldağ and Gökdağ, both reaching approximately 3000 meters in elevation. According to TÜİK 2024 data, its population is 8,448.

History

The known history of Çıldır extends back approximately 6000 years. The earliest settlers, the Hurrians, established a state centered at Akçakale; subsequently, the Urartians, Saka Turks, Iranians, and Khazars dominated the region. Conquered in 1064 by Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan, Çıldır came under the rule of the Kipchaks, Georgians, Khwarezmians, and Mongols during the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1578, during the Ottoman-Safavid conflict, Çıldır was incorporated into Ottoman territory following the Battle of Çıldır. After the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, the region fell under Russian control but was reintegrated into Turkish territory on 25 February 1921 during the National Struggle.

Geographical Structure

Çıldır district is located in the northeastern part of the Eastern Anatolia Region, built on a broad and flat plateau with an average elevation of 1950 meters. The district’s boundaries encompass a mixed topography of both hilly and flat areas. The highest elevations within the 752 km² area are Keldağ and Gökdağ, reaching approximately 3000 meters. The Kura and Karasu rivers flow through Çıldır, forming the region’s primary water sources. The main natural lakes within the district are Çıldır Lake, with an area of 123 km², and Aktaş Lake, covering 27 km². A portion of Aktaş Lake lies within Georgian territory, and the Türkiye-Georgia border crossing is located along its northern shore. To the east of Çıldır lies Armenia (13 km), and to the northeast lies Georgia (66 km). The district experiences a harsh continental climate, limiting agricultural activity; as a result, pasturelands and animal husbandry are predominant.

Natural Beauties and Historical Structures

Çıldır Lake

Çıldır Lake, located within the boundaries of Ardahan and Kars provinces, is the largest freshwater lake in the Eastern Anatolia Region and the second largest lake in Türkiye, with an area of 123 km². At an elevation of 1959 meters, its maximum depth is 42 meters. The lake is a natural formation created by lava and debris dams. It is fed by numerous streams and springs, with its only outflow being the Telek Creek in the northwestern part.

The surrounding area is predominantly pastureland and unsuitable for agriculture. Fishing is practiced year-round, and during winter months, when the lake surface freezes, traditional methods of ice fishing are used. The primary fish species is the mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio). However, drought and unregulated fishing have negatively impacted fish stocks.

Çıldır Lake (Türkiye Culture Portal)

Akçakale Island

Akçakale Island, the largest island in Çıldır Lake, contains archaeological remains spanning from the Neolithic period to the present. Remains of stone-dwelling houses approximately 10,000 years old have been observed on the island. Located near the entrance to Akçakale Village, the island is open to visitors during summer months and attracts local and foreign tourists throughout the year.

Akçakale Island (Çıldır Subdistrict Office)

Çıldır Lake Bird Observation Tower

Çıldır Lake is an important stopover for migratory birds. Birds that complete their breeding season in the lake’s vicinity prepare for migration. The bird observation tower, where migratory birds can be observed especially during spring and summer, holds significant value for nature observation.

Aktaş Lake

Aktaş Lake is a tectonic lake located on the border between Ardahan and Georgia. Of its total area of 27 km², 14 km² lies within Turkish territory. It has an elevation of 1798 meters and a maximum depth of 10 meters. The lake has been known by various names including Hazapin, Kenarbel, Karsak, and Kazapin.

There are twelve small islands within the lake, all of which lie within Turkish borders. Islands such as Büyük Ada and Başak Ada serve as shelter and breeding grounds for birds. Species observed around the lake include the Dalmatian pelican, velvet scoter, pochard, grebe, black duck, and Van Lake gull. Aktaş Lake is protected under the Regulation on the Conservation of Wetlands. Additionally, due to its location within a military zone, human interference is limited, creating a secure habitat for bird populations.

Şeytan Castle

Şeytan Castle, situated on a hill near Yıldırımtepe village (formerly Rabat), stands at an elevation of 1910 meters and is surrounded on three sides by cliffs. The castle, difficult to access, is associated with local legends. It measures 161 × 93 meters, and one of its three towers has survived intact to the present day. Within the castle ruins, there is a single-nave church dedicated to Saint Stefan, dated to the 14th century, as well as traces of a cistern and stairs leading down to a stream.

The castle is believed to date from the early Middle Ages and was also used during the Georgian principality period. According to the Georgian chronicle of Meshuri Matiane, the castle was ceded to the Ottomans in the 16th century and continued to function under Ottoman administration from that time onward.

Şeytan Castle (Anadolu Agency)

Local Cuisine

Goose Dish

Goose meat is among the most well-known local dishes in Çıldır and its surroundings. Geese in the region are raised from spring to autumn, then salted and preserved during the early winter months for consumption. Typically cooked and served with bulgur pilaf, goose meat is a rich and fatty type of meat. It is nutritionally valuable due to its high content of protein, phosphorus, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and E. The broth from cooking goose meat is also used in pilaf preparation and consumed as soup. In Çıldır and the Kars-Ardahan region, goose dish holds a traditional place on winter family tables.

Goose Dish (Anadolu Agency)