SNOW CLOAKED
METROPOLIS
If one were to define Kars with a colour, it would undoubtedly be white. With its warmest days of summer being equivalent to cool spring weather elsewhere, Kars would eagerly await – after a brief break of warmth – the first snowfall that would encompass the whimsical city for the long winter months ahead. This snow that is virtually synonymous with the city, would be as dry & powdery as Kars’ air, and would not melt easily. What starts as a subtle flurry at night would soon morph into a blizzard and before you know it, decorate the roofs with glossy icicles and blanket the doors & windows white by dawn. After arctic nights like these, the city’s locals would find their cars and fuels to be hopelessly defunct due to prolonged exposure to an unforgiving -30 degree weather – unless they were prepared for it and have used heaters inside or underneath their vehicles.
Despite the semingly grim conditions of the region, the people of Kars have been accustomed to this way of life. The perpetual snowfall that demands to be trudged on almost every morning would not phase them. They’d be content with a jacket and a wool scarf around their neck on what most consider to be glacial days, and nothing would bring more joy to these folk than a cup of tea brewed on woodfire served at their local markets.
Snowy Streets of Kars:
The Kars Castle serves as the starting point of almost all the city tours in Kars. Adjoining the castle and nestled right below it is the 500 year-old Kars bridge, with its classic Ottoman architecture and black basalt stones, it’s a historical overpass on the picturesque Kars river. Although currently not in use, it’s not difficult to imagine what the bath houses built on both ends of the bridge and among the river banks would look like in their day.
Right next to the stream, one can easily spot remnants of some of the most famous Russian architecture pieces situated on spacious streets. The sharply intersecting cobblestone streets that envelope both the town centre as well as the villages, and structures with a block-thickness of up to a metre – the outcome of 40 years of Russian ruling of the region – certainly add to the charming vibe of the city. Most of these stunning buildings now serve as offices for different government divisions.
To get to the town bazaar, you can trail alongside the skirts of the Kars River until you find the Church of the Holy Apostles – which has been converted into a mosque – and then continue along the wide cobblstone streets which will eventually lead you to the markets. While the sun melts the ice off the streets and roads during the day, it’s a different story at night when they re-freeze and become difficult to trek along. If you happen to visit during a time of fresh snowfall, the sound of soft crunches and squeaks among the crispy terrain are incomparably satisfying.
Playing Javelin at the town of Selim:
Located on the skirts of Allahuekber Mountain – one of the many peaks surrounding Kars – is a small town called Selim, and inside Selim is the tiny village of Akçakale. Upon entering this cosy commune, one is greeted with the colourful sights and sounds of (now frozen) laundry hung on clotheslines, flocks of geese scampering around, piles of turf collected in the front yards of stone houses and children animatedly at play. If a visitor happens to arrive during harsh weather conditions, the considerate village folk would venture out to the roads to welcome them.
If you’re lucky, you’ll visit at a time when they’re hosting their infamous local games or javelin tournaments. The scene of Akçakale Javelin Club’s players riding their horses in full throttle, swinging their spears left and right while trying to avoid any incoming ones is sure to evoke a sense of excitement with the audience.
Eight thousand years of history in Ani:
The majestic structures that make up the ruins of Ani are perched on the border between Turkey and Armenia as they patiently and gaudily await their visitors. With Arpa river acting as the borderline, the most magnificent edifice in this site that bears the influence of both Islamic and Christian medieval architecture, is the Silk Road Bridge, which has one foot planted in the Turkish side of the border and the other in Armenia.
This marvel of manmade design is also visible from the ancient Menuçehr Mosque, which was built by the Seljuk Empire of Anatolia in the 11th century. Make sure to allocate at least 3 hours for sightseeing in Ani Ruins so that you have enough time to cover all the landmarks while trekking on snow; the siege walls, the medieval churches and mosques, as well as remnants of Seljuk architecture.
Fishermen of Lake Çıldır:
If you happen to come across a sunny day on your visit to Kars – even if the weather is still nothing short of arctic and everywhere’s masked in snow – make sure to pay a visit to Lake Çıldır. The road leading up to the scenic pond is cloaked in natural beauty that is unlike anything else, but in order to spot the lake you’ll need to go on a sunny/clear day. Upon arrival, it’s common to spot a few canoes placed beneath the snow-covered trees, a sled tied to a horse and lively fishermen with shovels and hatchets hanging about. Watching their rituals of retracting the fishing nets from the holes they burrowed on the frozen surface and seeing the common carps jump out of the seemingly barren terrain beats any blockbuster, any day. You’ll find that both the meticulous fishing process and walking on the frozen surface are no easy feats – exhausting to say the least. However, their efforts are not in vain, as the common carp – being the only critter in the water – is extremely delicious and a must-try.
It’s not hard to get used to the arid and frosty climate of Kars once you get to deluge yourself with its white veiled beauty. It’s especially easy after you’ve had a steaming cup of tea from an authentic Semaver teapot, inside a Russian house with a glittery mural on its ornate ceiling. In fact, it makes it very hard to leave.
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