Göle District

 district, municipality, second-level administrative division, draw only border

• Belediye / Municipality:
www.gole.bel.tr
• Kaymakamlık / District-Governorate:
www.gole.gov.tr

Göle (Armenian: Կող, Kogh; Georgian: კოლა, Kola; Kurdish: Mêrdînik‎) is a small city and surrounding district in Ardahan Province of Turkey. The city was formerly known as Merdenik (Armenian: Մարդենիք) or Merdinik or Ardahan-ı Küçük ("Little Ardahan" in Ottoman Turkish). Göle is a rural district, eighty per cent of the area comprising mountain and forest, with the remainder grazing land and meadow; the local economy depends on this grazing. Göle is famous for its yellow kaşar cheese. Some crops are grown, including grains and potatoes. With the high Allahuekber (Karmir-Porak) mountains to the south Göle is exposed to the north resulting in cold winters. The name derives from Armenian calling of this place - Kogh. Other version: the name derives from ancient kingdom of Colchis. In ancient times this land was part of Urartu. In 4th century BC, it was part of Kingdom of Iberia and remained as one of the district of Duchy of Tsunda. Since 2nd century BC to 4th century AD this place was a part of Greater Armenia. During subsequent centuries it frequently changed hands between Iberians and Armenians. In the 7th century it passed to the Arab Caliphate. In 8th century it became part of Kuropalatine of Iberia in struggle against the Arab occupation. During the 10th-15th centuries, this region was a part of the united Georgian Kingdom. In the 16th century it was the independent Principality of Samtskhe until it was occupied and annexed by the Ottoman Empire and organized into Childir Eyalet. Kola was occupied by the Russian Empire from 1878 until the end of the First World War, when it was part of the militarily administered Kars Oblast. The district included villages inhabited by various ethnic groups, including few Armenian, 40 Turkish and 13 Caucasian Greek villages. It finally became part of the Republic of Turkey on September 30, 1920 after the Armenian control between 1919-1920. In 1918 region was controlled by Democratic Republic of Georgia, in 1921 it was conquered by Turkey. Places of interest to visitors include the tomb and mosque in the village of Dedeşen and the castles of Kalecik and Ugurtaşı. Today Kola is mainly Kurdish populated place known as Göle and it is district in Ardahan Province of Turkey.