Sarikamish Region

Photo: Sarikamish Region (Mt. Ciplak which the 9th coprs advanced through)

Sarikamish Region: is an area with an altitude of 2500-3000 meters, surrounded by high mountains and covered with resinous green forests. Winter, of course, is very cold due to high altitude. If you were to take a deep breath of air on a winter morning, you would feel the hair within your nostrils begin to freeze. But with proper attire you could enjoy yourself between the thin green pines trees covered with white snow. Two days in clear weather seem to last less than two hours in such an environment. Actually, this place is like a world of dreams.

Photo: A Garrison in Sarikamish (today)

In those days, the small town of Russian Garrison, Sarikamish looked like a modern garrison with a barracks of two regiments. It was also the last station at the end of the railway coming from Kars and Tiflis. Today, Sarikamish is a touristic ski resort.

This world of dreams presents different beauties in summer and winter. With sunset a breeze begins to blow softly, the sun disappears and then storms break out within the dark clouds. A smart, dry, cold wind carrying the snowflakes strikes your face, like a slap. Your body starts to shake violently as if you were caught by an earthquake. What you feel now is an unbearable suffering from the cold. If you shout, no one can hear you due to the roaring of the wind. You cannot even cry. It feels as though you are drinking a poison. That long beautiful pine trees now start to dance together like slender snakes. If you don’t have the required equipment and a shelter then a bloodless white death approaches you secretly. It is a death which suddenly freezes the body and the soul together, without allowing the soul to leave the body. Finally, you surrender and sleep forever.

Although Sarikamish was a small town, from a military perspective, it was strategically important due to the railroad terminus and its location at the convergence of the passages.

Photo: Sarikamish Town

Photo: From the peak of Büyük Kumru hill, area the 10th corps advanced

Photo: From Dikenli Tabya ridges, Mt. Balıklı (furthest), Mt. Camurlu dağ (right), and Sarikamish (center). Soldiers of the 9th core has seen Sarikamish in winter conditions on 25 and 26 December 1914. (This image was taken in summer)