Cherkessk (; Adyghe: Шэрджэс къалэ; Kabardian: Черкес-къалэ) is the

capital city A capital city, or just capital, is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state (polity), state, province, department (administrative division), department, or other administrative division, subnational division, usually as its ...

Karachay-Cherkessia Karachay-Cherkessia (), officially the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. It is administratively part of the North Caucasian Federal District. As of the 2021 census, Karachay-Cherkessia has a popul ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Population: 112,782 (2024). It was previously known as ''Batalpashinskaya'' (until 1931), ''Batalpashinsk'' (until 1934), ''Sulimov'' (until 1937), ''Yezhovo-Cherkessk'' (until 1939).

Names

In Russian, the city is called (''Čerkessk'') and has similar names in the languages of the city's other major ethnic groups. In Karachay, it is (''Çerkessk'') or (''Çerkessk şahar''); in Kabardian, it is (''Şărdjăs qală'') or (''Čerkessk''); in Abaza, it is (''Čerkes q̇ala'') or (''Čerkessk''); in Nogai, it is (''Şerkeş şahar'') and in Chechen, it is (''Čerkessk''). For its first century of existence, Cherkessk was a ''

stanitsa A stanitsa or stanitza ( ; ), also spelled stanycia ( ) or stanica ( ), was a historical administrative unit of a Cossack host, a type of Cossack polity that existed in the Russian Empire. Etymology The Russian word is the diminutive of the word ...

'', a village inside a Cossack host, which from 1825 to 1931 was named Batalpashinskaya stanitsa (Russian: ''Batalpašinskaja stanica'') and nicknamed Pashinka ( ''Pašinka'') In 1931, it was renamed Batalpashinsk ( ''Batałpašinsk''),Города России: Черкесск. Энциклопедия
— М.: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. И. Кондратьева, 1994. and then in quick succession Sulimov ( ''Sulimov'') in 1934 for Daniil Sulimov, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, and following Sulimov's execution in the

Great Purge The Great Purge, or the Great Terror (), also known as the Year of '37 () and the Yezhovshchina ( , ), was a political purge in the Soviet Union that took place from 1936 to 1938. After the Assassination of Sergei Kirov, assassination of ...

, Yezhovo-Cherkessk ( ''Ježovo-Čerkessk'') in 1937 for

Nikolai Yezhov Nikolai Ivanovich Yezhov ( rus, Николай Иванович Ежов, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ (j)ɪˈʐof; 1 May 1895 – 4 February 1940), also spelt Ezhov, was a Soviet Chekism, secret police official under Joseph Stalin who ...

, head of the NKVD. With Yezhov's arrest, the initial "Yezhovo-" was dropped, and the city received its present name in 1939.

History

What is now Cherkessk was established in 1804 as a

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

military fort on the

Kuban River The Kuban is a river in Russia that flows through the Western Caucasus and drains into the Sea of Azov. The Kuban runs mostly through Krasnodar Krai for , but also in the Karachay–Cherkess Republic, Stavropol Krai and the Republic of Adygea. ...

, what was then the border with

Circassia Circassia ( ), also known as Zichia, was a country and a historical region in . It spanned the western coastal portions of the North Caucasus, along the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. Circassia was conquered by the Russian Empire during ...

, on the spot where in 1790 Russian troops under the command of General

Johann Hermann von Fersen Johann Hermann von Fersen (; 1740 – 9 June 1801) was an Imperial Russian Army officer. Born in Saxony, he joined the Russian army in 1770. Life He was involved in the battles at Larga and Kagul during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 ...

(Ivan Ivanovich Herman fon Fersen) defeated the Ottoman Batal Pasha. In honor of the victory over Batal Pasha, the fort was named Batalpashinskaya; it was a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

surrounded by an earthen rampart and ditch. (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 The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borders of Ukraine and Rus ...

'' 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. In 1860, the village was designated as the administrative center of the Batalpashinsky Otdel of the Kuban Oblast. A decree of 30 December 1869 by

Tsar Alexander II Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland fro ...

transformed the village into a city of Batalpashinsk but the decree was never implemented, 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 The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...

, 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. The city was occupied by the

Nazi German Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

'' during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(the Eastern Front) from 11 August 1942 to 17 January 1943 as part of the

Case Blue Case Blue (German: ''Fall Blau'') was the ''Wehrmacht'' plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942, during World War II. The objective was to capture the oil fields of Baku ( Azerb ...

offensive. In 1957, it became the capital of the reformed Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast which became the

Karachay–Cherkess Republic Karachay-Cherkessia (), officially the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. It is administratively part of the North Caucasian Federal District. As of the 2021 census, Karachay-Cherkessia has a popul ...

in 1991 with the fall of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

Administrative and municipal status

Cherkessk is the

capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...

of the republic.Law #84-RZ 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 A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

. As a municipal division, the city of republic significance of Cherkessk is incorporated as Cherkessk Urban Okrug.Law #41-RZ

Population

The population of Cherkessk was 129,069 in the 2010 Census, 116,244 in the 2002 Census and 113,060 in the

1989 Soviet Census The 1989 Soviet census (), conducted between 12 and 19 January of that year, was the final census carried out in the Soviet Union. The census found the total population to be 286,730,819 inhabitants. In 1989, the Soviet Union ranked as the third ...

Ethnic groups

The city is inhabited by

Russians Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...

, native Cherkess (

Circassians The Circassians or Circassian people, also called Cherkess or Adyghe (Adyghe language, Adyghe and ), are a Northwest Caucasian languages, Northwest Caucasian ethnic group and nation who originated in Circassia, a region and former country in t ...

Karachays The Karachays or Karachais ( or ) are a North Caucasian- Turkic ethnic group primarily located in their ancestral lands in Karachay–Cherkess Republic, a republic of Russia in the North Caucasus. They and the Balkars share a common orig ...

, Abaza,

Nogays The Nogais ( ) are a Kipchak people who speak a Turkic language and live in Southeastern Europe, North Caucasus, Volga region, Central Asia and Turkey. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessi ...

and minorities of

Ukrainians Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the List of contemporary eth ...

Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...

and

Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...

1926

According to the First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union of 1926, inhabitants of Batalpashinsk (present-day Cherkessk) included:Этнокавказ. Национальный состав КЧР по переписям 1926—2002
*

(82.7%) *

(9.0%) *

(0.8%) *

(

Pontic Greeks The Pontic Greeks (; or ; , , ), also Pontian Greeks or simply Pontians, are an ethnically Greek group indigenous to the region of Pontus, in northeastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). They share a common Pontic Greek culture that is di ...

) (0.2%)

1939

The 1937 census results were suppressed and destroyed but the Soviet census of 1939 recorded: *

(87.6%) *Ukrainians (3.6%) *

Abazin The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza ( Abaza and Abkhaz: Абаза; Circassian: Абазэхэр; ; ; ) are an ethnic group of the Northwest Caucasus, closely related to the Abkhaz and Circassian peoples. Today, as a result of atrocities committ ...

(1.5%) * Adyghes (i.e. Circassian) (1.4%) *

(0.8%) *

Ossetians The Ossetians ( or ; ),Merriam-Webster (2021), s.v"Ossete" also known as Ossetes ( ), Ossets ( ), and Alans ( ), are an Iranian peoples, Iranian ethnic group who are indigenous to Ossetia, a region situated across the northern and southern side ...

(0.5%) *

Nogais The Nogais ( ) are a Kipchaks, Kipchak people who speak a Turkic languages, Turkic language and live in Southeastern Europe, North Caucasus, Volga region, Central Asia and Turkey. Most are found in Northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well ...

(0.5%) *

(0.5%)

1959

The Soviet census of 1959 recorded: *Russians (87.7%) *Ukrainians (2.8%) * Circassian (2.1%) *Abazins (1.8%) *Karachays (1.6%) *Nogais (0.4%) *Greeks (0.4%) *Ossetians (0.4%)

1970

The Soviet census of 1970 recorded: *Russians (74.5%) *Circassian (6.4%) *Karachays (6.2%) *Abazins (5.0%) *Ukrainians (2.1%) *Nogais (1.0%) *Greeks (0.5%) *Ossetians (0.5%)

1989

According to the 1989 data from the final Soviet census, the population of the city included: *Russians (67.8%) *Circassian (9.0%) *Karachays (7.8%) *Abazins (6.5%) *Ukrainians (2.2%) *Nogais (1.2%) *Ossetians (0.5%) *Greeks (0.5%)

2002

In 2002, the Russian census reported the population including: *

(55.5%) *

(13.8%) * Circassian (12.6%) *

Abazins The Abazin, Abazinians or Abaza ( Abaza and Abkhaz: Абаза; Circassian: Абазэхэр; ; ; ) are an ethnic group of the Northwest Caucasus, closely related to the Abkhaz and Circassian peoples. Today, as a result of atrocities committ ...

(8.1%) *

(1.5%) *

(1.3%) *

(0.6%) *

(

) (0.4%) *Other (6.1%)

2010

In 2010, the population included: *

(54.7%) *

(16.4%) * Circassian (13.2%) *

(8.2%) *

(1.5%) *Other (6.0%)

2021

In 2021, the population included: *

(45.5%) *

(23.8%) *

(16%) *

(9.5%) *

(1.5%) *Other (3.7%)

Climate

Education

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 * 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

Culture

*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

Sport

*The association football team FC Inter Cherkessk play at the Stadium Nart.

FC Nart Cherkessk FC Nart Cherkessk () is a Russian football team from Cherkessk. It was founded in 1982 and played professionally from 1982 to 1998, from 2002 to 2003 and from 2024. It played on the second-highest level, Russian First Division, in 1992 and 1993. ...

previously played there, until they were dissolved in 2004. *The demolished Dombay Stadium or Motodrom was a

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

stadium located south of the Stadium Nart and Green Island off Ulitsa Michurina (). The stadium hosted important events including the Continental Speedway final round of the

Speedway World Championship The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest-ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world, run under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The first official championsh ...

in 1972 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 and then during 1993, in the Russian Championship, winning the bronze medal in 1993.

Notable people

* David Safaryan, World champion in freestyle wrestling representing Armenia

References

Notes

Sources

* *

External links

Official website of Cherkessk

Cherkessk Business Directory
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1825 1825 establishments in the Russian Empire Kuban oblast