Kiğı Explained

Type:Municipality
Kiğı
Province:Bingöl
District:Kiğı
Coordinates:39.3097°N 40.3494°W
Population Total:2926
Population As Of:2021
Leader Party:AKP
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Hikmet Özüağ

Kiğı (Kurdish: Gêxî;[1] Armenian: Քղի|translit=Kʿġi) is a town and seat of the Kiğı District of Bingöl Province in Turkey.[2] The mayor is Hikmet Özüağ (AKP).[3]

The town is populated by Kurds of the Giransor tribe and had a population of 2,926 in 2021.[4] [5]

Neighborhoods

The town is divided into the neighborhoods of Abar, Eskişehir, Yenişehir and Yeşilyurt.

History

Historically this area was ruled by different Armenian, Byzantine, Kurdish and Turkic dynasties. During the Middle Ages, Kiğı had been a mint town of the Ilkhanids[6] The town became a part of the Ottoman Empire was a sanjak of the Erzurum Eyalet. Historically a nearby iron mine was used but mining stopped in 17th century.[7] The main sights in the town are the citadel, the mosque built in 1401/02 and commissioned by Pir Ali son of the Aq Qoyunlu Kutlu. The medieval Muslim tomb and bathhouse of Yazıcızadeler and the ruins of a church. There were battles in this area between the Russians and Ottomans during World War I. The current location of the town was moved here after a Safavid raid in the 16th century, the old site was near the citadel. But the present structure is largely a restoration from later times.

Demographics

In 1891, the kaza had 41,225 inhabitants, including 12,040 Armenians. In 1909, 16,255 Armenians lived in 50 villages. On the eve of the first World War, 19,859 Armenians lived in the kaza. They had 45 churches, five monasteries, and 63 schools. They were deported on 8 June 1915 as part of the Armenian genocide. Most of them were massacred by the Special Organization.[8]

Mother tongue, Kiğı District, 1927 Turkish census[9] ! Turkish !! Arabic !! Kurdish !! Circassian !! Armenian !! Unknown or other languages
4,600 21,800 88 43 7
Religion, Kiğı District, 1927 Turkish census! Muslim !! Armenian !! Orthodox !! Other Christian
26,486 46 1 5

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Book: Avcıkıran, Adem . 55 .
  2. Web site: Türkiye Mülki İdare Bölümleri Envanteri . 19 December 2022 . T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı . tr.
  3. Web site: Bingöl Kiğı Seçim Sonuçları – Kiğı Yerel Seçim Sonuçları. Şafak. Yeni. 2019-07-11. Yeni Şafak. tr-TR. 2019-11-07.
  4. Web site: 31 ARALIK 2021 TARİHLİ ADRESE DAYALI NÜFUS KAYIT SİSTEMİ (ADNKS) SONUÇLARI . 16 December 2022 . TÜİK . tr . XLS.
  5. Book: Akbulut, Yılmaz . Bingöl tarihi . 1995 . 9751714737 . 106 . tr.
  6. Book: Sinclair. T.A.. Eastern Turkey: An Architectural & Archaeological Survey, Volume III. 1989. Pindar Press. 9781904597780.
  7. Book: Sinclair, T. A.. Eastern Turkey: An Architectural & Archaeological Survey, Volume III. 1989-12-31. Pindar Press. 978-1-904597-78-0. 158–159. en.
  8. Web site: Kaza Kiğı / Քղի – Kghi . 2023-09-22 . Virtual Genocide Memorial . en-US.
  9. Sertel . Savaş . 2014-01-01 . ERKEN CUMHURİYET DÖNEMİNDE BİNGÖL NÜFUSU . XVII. TTK Bildiri Kitabi.