Türkgözü
Encyclopedia
Türkgözü is a village in the Posof
district, Ardahan Province
in north-eastern Turkey
with a population of 388 (census 2000). It is a border crossing point
to Akhaltsikhe
in Georgia
. Türkgözü is 97 km (60.3 mi) north of the province center Ardahan
and 16 km (9.9 mi) northeast of Posof.
The residents of Türkgözü are Kipchaks
, descendants of Turkic people from Central Asia
, who came to the place from Akhaltsikhe region in the 18th century. In the past, many people left the village for economic reasons. With the opening of the border checkpoint in 1997, the emigration came to an end. Currently, 70 families live in the village.
A number of historical structures in the village, among them churches and graveyards, point to the early settlement of the place, which was formerly called Badele.
The village is set up on a plain that separates Kodiyan Plateau from Kobliyan Valley. The Posof Creek, running south-east of the village, forms part of the border to Georgia. There are three lakes around the settlement. Neighboring villages of Türkgözü in Turkey are Armutveren and Sarıdarı. The road (European route ) from Ardahan to Damal
passes through Türkgözü.
The economy of the settlement relies mainly on agriculture
, livestock
, beekeeping
and trade. The place is widely known for its "Badele apples".
Posof
Posof is a district of Ardahan Province of Turkey, in the far east of the country, 75 km from the city of Ardahan. It has a border crossing with neigboring Georgia at Türkgözü...
district, Ardahan Province
Ardahan Province
Ardahan Province is a province in the far north-east of Turkey, at the very end of the country, where Turkey borders with Georgia . The provincial capital is the city of Ardahan.- Geography :...
in north-eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
with a population of 388 (census 2000). It is a border crossing point
Border checkpoint
A border checkpoint is a place, generally between two countries, where travellers and/or goods are inspected. Authorization often is required to enter a country through its borders. Access-controlled borders often have a limited number of checkpoints where they can be crossed without legal...
to Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe is a small city in Georgia's southwestern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is situated on the both banks of a small river Potskhovi, which separates the city to the old city in the north and new in the south. The name of the city translates from Georgian as "new fortress".- History...
in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. Türkgözü is 97 km (60.3 mi) north of the province center Ardahan
Ardahan
Ardahan is a city in northeastern Turkey, near the Georgian border.-Ancient and medieval:In Ancient times the region was called Gogarene, which is assumed to derive from the name of Gugars, who were a Proto-Kartvelian tribe...
and 16 km (9.9 mi) northeast of Posof.
The residents of Türkgözü are Kipchaks
Kipchaks
Kipchaks were a Turkic tribal confederation...
, descendants of Turkic people from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, who came to the place from Akhaltsikhe region in the 18th century. In the past, many people left the village for economic reasons. With the opening of the border checkpoint in 1997, the emigration came to an end. Currently, 70 families live in the village.
A number of historical structures in the village, among them churches and graveyards, point to the early settlement of the place, which was formerly called Badele.
The village is set up on a plain that separates Kodiyan Plateau from Kobliyan Valley. The Posof Creek, running south-east of the village, forms part of the border to Georgia. There are three lakes around the settlement. Neighboring villages of Türkgözü in Turkey are Armutveren and Sarıdarı. The road (European route ) from Ardahan to Damal
Damal
Damal, formerly Petereke, is a town and district of Ardahan Province of Turkey, on the road from Kars to Posof.-History:Damalis on a route across the traditional Silk Road, connecting the Caucasus from Europe to Central Asia and has changed hands many times throughout history, between Medes,...
passes through Türkgözü.
The economy of the settlement relies mainly on agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, beekeeping
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
and trade. The place is widely known for its "Badele apples".
Notable natives
- Oğuz Atalay, professor and rector of Izmir University
- Kemal İrfan Akkuş, former director general of Labor and Employment Relations Agency of Turkey