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 Черке́сск (Čerkessk)[9] and has similar names in the languages of the city's other major ethnic groups. In Karachay, it is Черкесск (Çerkessk)[9] or Черкесск шахар (Çerkessk şahar); in Kabardian, it is Шэрджэс къалэ (Şărdjăs qală) or Черке́сск (Čerkessk);[9] in Abaza, it is Черкес къала (Čerkes q̇ala) or Черкесск (Čerkessk);[9] in Nogai, it is Шеркеш шахар (Şerkeş şahar) and in Chechen, it is Черкесск (Čerkessk).
For its first century of existence, Cherkessk was a stanitsa, a village inside a Cossack host, which from 1825 to 1931 was named Batalpashinskaya stanitsa (Russian: Баталпашинская станицаBatalpašinskaja stanica)[9] and nicknamed Pashinka (ПашинкаPašinka) In 1931, it was renamed Batalpashinsk (БаталпашинскBatałpašinsk),[10][9] and then in quick succession Sulimov (СулимовSulimov) in 1934[10][9] for Daniil Sulimov, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Russian SFSR, and following Sulimov's execution in the Great Purge, Yezhovo-Cherkessk (Ежово-ЧеркесскJežovo-Čerkessk) in 1937[10][9] for Nikolai Yezhov, head of the NKVD. With Yezhov's arrest, the initial "Yezhovo-" was dropped, and the city received its present name in 1939.[10][9]
History
What is now Cherkessk was established in 1804 as a Russian military fort on the Kuban River, what was then the border with Circassia, on the spot where in 1790 Russian troops under the command of General Johann Hermann von Fersen (Ivan Ivanovich Herman fon Fersen) defeated the Ottoman Batal Pasha.[10] In honor of the victory over Batal Pasha, the fort was named Batalpashinskaya; it was a redoubt surrounded by an earthen rampart and ditch.[10] (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 Cossackstanitsa 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.[11] In 1860, the village was designated as the administrative center of the Batalpashinsky Otdel of the Kuban Oblast.[10] A decree of 30 December 1869 by Tsar Alexander II transformed the village into a city of Batalpashinsk but the decree was never implemented,[12] and Batalpashinskaya remained a stanitsa until the Soviet times. In 1888, the village became a seat of one of Kuban's seven departments.
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[20]
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 previously played there, until they were dissolved in 2004.
The Cherkessk speedway team (under various nicknames) regularly participated in the Soviet Union Championship from 1972 through to 1992[23] and then during 1993, in the Russian Championship, winning the bronze medal in 1993.[24][25]
Notable people
David Safaryan, World champion in freestyle wrestling representing Armenia
^В. А. Колесников. Былое Невинного Мыса. К 185-летию переселения Хопёрского казачьего полка на Кубань и основания станицы Невиномысской. Ставрополь. «ЮРКИТ» 2011. (in Russian)
^Филиппов Е. В. Город Баталпашинск: проекты и реалии. (in Russian)
Народное Собрание (Парламент) Карачаево-Черкесской Республики. Закон №84-РЗ от 24 февраля 2004 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Карачаево-Черкесской Республики», в ред. Закона №34-РЗ от 5 июля 2011 г «О внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Карачаево-Черкесской Республики в связи с изменением наименования должности высшего должностного лица Карачаево-Черкесской Республики». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "День Республики", №36-37 (16431), 28 февраля 2004 г. (People's Assembly (Parliament) of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic. Law #84-RZ of February 24, 2004 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic, as amended by the Law #34-RZ of July 5, 2011 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic Due to the Change of the Title of the Top Executive Position of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic. Effective as of the official publication date.).
Народное Собрание (Парламент) Карачаево-Черкесской Республики. Закон №41-РЗ от 7 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ муниципального образования города Черкесска и наделении его статусом городского округа», в ред. Закона №35-РЗ от 23 июня 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Карачаево-Черкесской Республики "Об установлении границ муниципального образования города Черкесска и наделении его статусом городского округа"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "День Республики", №207–208 (16602), 14 декабря 2004 г. (People's Assembly (Parliament) of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic. Law #41-RZ of December 7, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formation of the Town of Cherkessk and on Granting It Urban Okrug Status, as amended by the Law #35-RZ of June 23, 2014 On Amending the Law of the Karachay–Cherkess Republic "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formation of the Town of Cherkessk and on Granting It Urban Okrug Status". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).