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Coordinates: 38°24′00″N 42°06′30″E / 38.40000°N 42.10833°E / 38.40000; 42.10833
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| province = Bitlis
| province = Bitlis
| district = Bitlis
| district = Bitlis
| leader_party = [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]
| leader_party = [[AK Party]]
| leader_name = Nesrullah Tanğlay
| leader_name = Nesrullah Tanğlay
| area_footnotes =
| area_footnotes =
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| postal_code = 13000
| postal_code = 13000
| area_code =
| area_code =
| website = {{url|https://bitlis.bel.tr/}}
| website = {{URL|https://bitlis.bel.tr/}}
}}
}}

'''Bitlis''' ({{lang-hy|Բաղեշ|translit=Baghesh}} or {{transliteration|hy|Paghesh}};<ref>{{cite book |last=Hakobyan |first=Tadevos |url=http://armenianhouse.org/hakobyan-t/armenian-cities.html |title=Patmakan Hayastani kʻaghakʻnerě |publisher="Hayastan" Publishing |year=1987 |location=Yerevan |page=98 |language=hy |script-title=hy:Պատմական Հայաստանի քաղաքները |trans-title=''The cities of historic Armenia'' |author-link=Tadevos Hakobyan}}</ref> {{lang-ku|Bidlîs|script=latn}}<ref>{{cite book |author1=Adem |first=Avcıkıran |url= |title=Kürtçe Anamnez Anamneza bi Kurmancî |date=2009 |page=55 |language=tr, ku |access-date=}}</ref>) is a city in southeastern [[Turkey]]. It is the seat of [[Bitlis District]] and [[Bitlis Province]].<ref name=il>[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx İl Belediyesi], Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 30 January 2023.</ref> Its population is 53,023 (2021).<ref name=tuik>{{Cite web |title=Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021|url=https://www.tuik.gov.tr/indir/duyuru/favori_raporlar.xlsx |access-date=30 January 2023|publisher=[[TÜİK]]|language=tr |format=XLS}}</ref> The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15&nbsp;km from [[Lake Van]], in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis River, a tributary of the [[Tigris River|Tigris]]. The local economy is mainly based on agricultural products which include fruits, grain and tobacco. Industry is fairly limited, and deals mainly with leatherworking, manufacture of tobacco products as well as weaving and dyeing of coarse cloth. Bitlis is connected to other urban centres by road, including [[Tatvan]] on Lake Van, 25&nbsp;km to the northeast, and the cities of [[Muş]] (Mush), 100&nbsp;km northwest, and [[Diyarbakır]], 200&nbsp;km to the west. The climate of Bitlis can be harsh, with long winters and heavy snowfalls. Since the local [[2019 Turkish local elections|elections of March 2019]], the Mayor of Bitlis is Nesrullah Tanğlay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabah.com.tr/secim/31-mart-2019-yerel-secim-sonuclari/bitlis/ili-yerel-secim-sonuclari|title=Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları - 31 Mart 2019 Yerel Seçimleri|website=www.sabah.com.tr|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>
'''Bitlis''' ({{langx|hy|Բաղեշ|translit=Baghesh}} or {{transliteration|hy|Paghesh}};<ref>{{cite book |last=Hakobyan |first=Tadevos |url=http://armenianhouse.org/hakobyan-t/armenian-cities.html |title=Patmakan Hayastani kʻaghakʻnerě |publisher="Hayastan" Publishing |year=1987 |location=Yerevan |page=98 |language=hy |script-title=hy:Պատմական Հայաստանի քաղաքները |trans-title=The cities of historic Armenia |author-link=Tadevos Hakobyan}}</ref> {{langx|ku-Latn|Bidlîs}}<ref>{{cite book |author1=Adem |first=Avcıkıran |url= |title=Kürtçe Anamnez Anamneza bi Kurmancî |date=2009 |page=55 |language=tr, ku |access-date=}}</ref>) is a city in southeastern [[Turkey]]. It is the seat of [[Bitlis District]] and [[Bitlis Province]].<ref name=il>[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx İl Belediyesi], Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 30 January 2023.</ref> Its population is 53,023 (2021).<ref name=tuik>{{Cite web |title=Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021|url=https://www.tuik.gov.tr/indir/duyuru/favori_raporlar.xlsx |access-date=30 January 2023|publisher=[[TÜİK]]|language=tr |format=XLS}}</ref> The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15&nbsp;km from [[Lake Van]], in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis River, a tributary of the [[Tigris River|Tigris]]. The local economy is mainly based on agricultural products which include fruits, grain and tobacco. Industry is fairly limited, and deals mainly with leatherworking, manufacture of tobacco products as well as weaving and dyeing of coarse cloth. Bitlis is connected to other urban centres by road, including [[Tatvan]] on Lake Van, 25&nbsp;km to the northeast, and the cities of [[Muş]] (Mush), 100&nbsp;km northwest, and [[Diyarbakır]], 200&nbsp;km to the west. The climate of Bitlis can be harsh, with long winters and heavy snowfalls. Since the local [[2019 Turkish local elections|elections of March 2019]], the Mayor of Bitlis is Nesrullah Tanğlay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabah.com.tr/secim/31-mart-2019-yerel-secim-sonuclari/bitlis/ili-yerel-secim-sonuclari|title=Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları - 31 Mart 2019 Yerel Seçimleri|website=www.sabah.com.tr|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==


===Ancient and medieval===
===Ancient Bitlis===
[[File:Anatolian_Civilizations_Museum_1490.jpg|thumb| Two winged gods standing on lions are facing each other. The figures are identified as Teişeba, the Storm God. 7th century BC. from Bitlis now in [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]]]]
[[File:Anatolian_Civilizations_Museum_1490.jpg|thumb| Two winged gods standing on lions are facing each other. The figures are identified as Teişeba, the Storm God. 7th century BC. from Bitlis now in [[Museum of Anatolian Civilizations]]]]


The origin of the name Bitlis is not known. A popular folk etymology explanation, without historical basis, is that it is derived from "Lis/Batlis", the name of a general said to have built Bitlis castle by the order of [[Alexander the Great]].<ref name="SAE">{{in lang|hy}} s.v. "Baghesh," [[Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia]], vol. 2, pp. 254-256.</ref> To [[Armenians]], it was known as Balalesa or Baghaghesh, and later Baghesh.<ref>[[Robert Hewsen|Hewsen, Robert H]]. "The Historical Geography of Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush" in ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush''. [[Richard G. Hovannisian]] (ed.) UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 2. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2001, p. 52.</ref> According to one popular Armenian folk story, on a cold, wintry day a donkey left its stable and wandered down the valley below. The donkey died of the freezing temperatures and was only discovered in the spring, once the ice had melted; thus, it received the name {{Transliteration|hy|Pagh Esh}}, or "Cold Donkey."<ref>{{cite book|last=Ghanalanian|first=Aram|title=Avandapatum [Traditional Tales]|publisher=Manuk Abeghian Institute of Literature|location=Yerevan|language=hy|year=1969|page=160}}</ref>
The origin of the name Bitlis is not known. A popular folk etymology explanation, without historical basis, is that it is derived from "Lis/Batlis", the name of a general said to have built Bitlis castle by the order of [[Alexander the Great]].<ref name="SAE">{{in lang|hy}} s.v. "Baghesh," [[Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia]], vol. 2, pp. 254-256.</ref> To [[Armenians]], it was known as Balalesa or Baghaghesh, and later Baghesh.<ref>[[Robert Hewsen|Hewsen, Robert H]]. "The Historical Geography of Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush" in ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush''. [[Richard G. Hovannisian]] (ed.) UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 2. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2001, p. 52.</ref> According to one popular Armenian folk story, on a cold, wintry day a donkey left its stable and wandered down the valley below. The donkey died of the freezing temperatures and was only discovered in the spring, once the ice had melted; thus, it received the name {{Transliteration|hy|Pagh Esh}}, or "Cold Donkey."<ref>{{cite book|last=Ghanalanian|first=Aram|title=Avandapatum [Traditional Tales]|publisher=Manuk Abeghian Institute of Literature|location=Yerevan|language=hy|year=1969|page=160}}</ref>


Baghesh was one of the most important cities of the [[Kingdom of Armenia (Antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]'s province of [[Aghdznik|Aghdznik']], and it served as the primary fortress of the province's canton of Salnodzor.<ref name="SAE"/> Some medieval Armenian writers, such as [[Anania Shirakatsi]] and [[Vardan Areveltsi]], later mention it as a part of the canton of [[Bznuniq|Bznunik']].<ref name="SAE"/> The fortress guarded the Baghesh Pass, which linked the southern reaches of the [[Armenian Plateau]] to northern Mesopotamia. The [[Arabs]] conquered Baghesh at the end of the seventh century and it eventually became the capital of the [[Zurarid dynasty|Zurārid]] [[emirate|emirs]] of [[Arzen|Arzan]]. Because it was on an important trade route, it prospered greatly.
Baghesh was one of the most important cities of the [[Kingdom of Armenia (Antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]'s province of [[Aghdznik|Aghdznik']], and it served as the primary fortress of the province's canton of Salnodzor.<ref name="SAE"/> Some medieval Armenian writers, such as [[Anania Shirakatsi]] and [[Vardan Areveltsi]], later mention it as a part of the canton of [[Bznuniq|Bznunik']].<ref name="SAE"/> The fortress guarded the Baghesh Pass, which linked the southern reaches of the [[Armenian plateau]] to northern Mesopotamia.

===Medieval Bitlis===
Under the [[Byzantine Empire]], the town was known as '''Balaleison'''.<ref>{{citation |url=https://ia600303.us.archive.org/21/items/TheOriginOfTheNaxararSystem/adontz_nax.pdf |page=175 |title=Armenia in the Period of Justinian: The Political Conditions Based on the ''Naxarar'' System |last=Adontz |first=Nicholas |translator-last=Garsoïan |translator-first=Nina G. |date=1970 |location=Lisbon |publisher=Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation }}.</ref> The [[Arabs]] conquered Baghesh at the end of the seventh century and it eventually became the capital of the [[Zurarid dynasty|Zurārid]] [[emirate|emirs]] of [[Arzen|Arzan]]. Because it was on an important trade route, it prospered greatly.


The next two centuries, however, marked a turbulent period in the town's history. After [[Bugha al-Kabir]]'s destructive 852-855 campaign in Armenia, the Shaybanid emirs wrested control of Baghesh from the Zurārids;<ref>{{cite book|last=Ter-Ghevondyan|first=Aram N.|author-link=Aram Ter-Ghevondyan|title=Arabakan amirayutyunnere Bagratunyats Hayastanum [The Arab Emirates in Bagratuni Armenia]|publisher=Armenian Academy of Sciences|location= Yerevan|year=1965|page=104|language=hy}}</ref> thereafter, in the first quarter of the tenth century, it was taken by the [[Kaysite]] emirs of [[Manzikert]]. In his 929-30 campaign against the Kaysites, the [[Byzantine]] general [[John Curcuas]] was able to capture and annex Baghesh.<ref name="SAE"/> Following the devastation of the Arab emirs in the second half of the tenth century, a great number of [[Kurds]] settled in Baghesh and at the end of the tenth century, the city fell into the hands of the Kurdish [[Marwanid]] dynasty after breaking from [[Buyid]] rule.<ref name="SAE"/> At the end of the eleventh century, with the collapse of Byzantine power after the [[Battle of Manzikert]], Bitlis fell under the control of [[Togan Arslan]], a subject of the Shah Arman (Also called Ahlatshah) dynasty based in [[Akhlat|Akhlat']] after brief [[Beylik of Dilmaç|Dilmachoglu]] rule. It was also ruled by [[Ayyubid]] (1207–1231), [[Khwarezm Shahs]] (shortly rule in 1230), [[Sultanate of Rûm]] (1231–1243) and [[Ilkhanate]] (1243–1335).
The next two centuries, however, marked a turbulent period in the town's history. After [[Bugha al-Kabir]]'s destructive 852-855 campaign in Armenia, the Shaybanid emirs wrested control of Baghesh from the Zurārids;<ref>{{cite book|last=Ter-Ghevondyan|first=Aram N.|author-link=Aram Ter-Ghevondyan|title=Arabakan amirayutyunnere Bagratunyats Hayastanum [The Arab Emirates in Bagratuni Armenia]|publisher=Armenian Academy of Sciences|location= Yerevan|year=1965|page=104|language=hy}}</ref> thereafter, in the first quarter of the tenth century, it was taken by the [[Kaysite]] emirs of [[Manzikert]]. In his 929-30 campaign against the Kaysites, the [[Byzantine]] general [[John Curcuas]] was able to capture and annex Baghesh.<ref name="SAE"/> Following the devastation of the Arab emirs in the second half of the tenth century, a great number of [[Kurds]] settled in Baghesh and at the end of the tenth century, the city fell into the hands of the Kurdish [[Marwanid]] dynasty after breaking from [[Buyid]] rule.<ref name="SAE"/> At the end of the eleventh century, with the collapse of Byzantine power after the [[Battle of Manzikert]], Bitlis fell under the control of [[Togan Arslan]], a subject of the Shah Arman (Also called Ahlatshah) dynasty based in [[Akhlat|Akhlat']] after brief [[Beylik of Dilmaç|Dilmachoglu]] rule. It was also ruled by [[Ayyubid]] (1207–1231), [[Khwarezm Shahs]] (shortly rule in 1230), [[Sultanate of Rûm]] (1231–1243) and [[Ilkhanate]] (1243–1335).
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Bitlis was forced to accept a [[Persians|Persian]] governor during the invasion of the [[Safavid]] [[Shah]] [[Ismail I|Ismail]], but sided with the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] forces as they approached the region. Its emir, Sheref, later changed his allegiance to the Persians. An Ottoman army besieged Bitlis for three months in 1531/32, but was forced to retire. Sheref was killed in battle in 1533 and his son and successor submitted to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Mush and Hınıs were removed from the Bitlis emirate, becoming separate [[sanjak]]s but still with Ruzaki [[bey]]s. A [[Jesuit]] mission was established in Bitlis in 1685. The Ruzakid Kurdish dynasty in Bitlis lasted until 1849, when an Ottoman governor evicted its last emir, Sheref Bey, who was taken to [[Istanbul|Constantinople]] as a prisoner. After this, Bitlis was governed by an Ottoman [[pasha]] and formed the capital of a ''[[vilayet]]'' bearing its name.<ref>{{cite book | last = Sinclair | first = Thomas A | title = Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey, Volume 1 | publisher =Pindar Press | location= London | year = 1987 | pages=330–336 | isbn =0-907132-32-4}}</ref>
Bitlis was forced to accept a [[Persians|Persian]] governor during the invasion of the [[Safavid]] [[Shah]] [[Ismail I|Ismail]], but sided with the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] forces as they approached the region. Its emir, Sheref, later changed his allegiance to the Persians. An Ottoman army besieged Bitlis for three months in 1531/32, but was forced to retire. Sheref was killed in battle in 1533 and his son and successor submitted to the [[Ottoman Empire]]. Mush and Hınıs were removed from the Bitlis emirate, becoming separate [[sanjak]]s but still with Ruzaki [[bey]]s. A [[Jesuit]] mission was established in Bitlis in 1685. The Ruzakid Kurdish dynasty in Bitlis lasted until 1849, when an Ottoman governor evicted its last emir, Sheref Bey, who was taken to [[Istanbul|Constantinople]] as a prisoner. After this, Bitlis was governed by an Ottoman [[pasha]] and formed the capital of a ''[[vilayet]]'' bearing its name.<ref>{{cite book | last = Sinclair | first = Thomas A | title = Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey, Volume 1 | publisher =Pindar Press | location= London | year = 1987 | pages=330–336 | isbn =0-907132-32-4}}</ref>

For centuries, Bitlis and nearby [[Kurdish emirates|Kurdish principalities]] were deeply influenced by [[Persian language]] and culture through their ties with Persian-centered empires. Persian was the language of administration, used by [[Sufism|Sufis]], poets, merchants, and scholars. Bitlis’s elites adopted Persian to align with the broader [[Persianate society|Persianate]] world. From the 14th century, Persian literary activity thrived in Bitlis, with notable works by [[Idris Bitlisi|Idris-i Bidlisi]] and [[Sharaf al-Din Bitlisi|Sharaf Khan]]. Persian was predominant in palace education, ''[[madrasa]]s'', personal correspondence, and literary and historical writings. Although Ottoman bureaucracy shifted to Turkish in the 16th century, Persian remained in use for communications with [[Safavid Iran|Safavid]] [[shahs]] and on inscriptions. Persian manuscripts filled the palace library, and its influence persisted in Bitlis’s cultural and daily life into the 19th century.<ref name="Vural">{{cite journal |last1=Genç |first1=Vural |title=The Cultural Impact of the Persian Language in and around Bidlis |journal=Iranian Studies |date=2024 |volume=57 |issue=1 |pages=27–45 |doi=10.1017/irn.2023.61|doi-access=free }}</ref>

[[File:Betlis in Asirien - Peeters Jacob - 1690.jpg|thumb|left|Bitlis in 1690]]
[[File:Betlis in Asirien - Peeters Jacob - 1690.jpg|thumb|left|Bitlis in 1690]]


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| location= London
| location= London
| year = 1901
| year = 1901
| page=[https://archive.org/details/armeniatravelsst02lync_0/page/151 151]}}</ref> The Armenians had five schools for boys and three for girls.<ref name="SAE"/> According to [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]] from 1911, the town had 35 thousand people with 12 thousand Armenians, the rest being Kurdish.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Bitlis|volume=4|last=Maunsell|first=Francis Richard|author-link=Francis Richard Maunsell|page=13}}</ref> One third of the population of Bitlis was ethnic [[Armenians|Armenian]] prior to World War I (1914, whereas the majority of the population was Kurdish Muslim (Alevi as well as Sunni). In 1915, during the [[Armenian genocide]], Turks and Kurds, led by [[Cevdet Bey|Jevdet Bey Pasha]], massacred some 15,000 Armenians in Bitlis. Before the massacres, the Christian population of Bitlis was mainly made up of Armenians and Assyrians however during the [[Armenian genocide]], both the Armenian and Assyrian population were exterminated coinciding with the [[Assyrian genocide]] also.<ref>[[Christopher J. Walker|Walker, Christopher J.]] "The End of Armenian Taron and Baghesh, 1914-1916" in ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush'', pp. 191-206.</ref>
| page=[https://archive.org/details/armeniatravelsst02lync_0/page/151 151]}}</ref> The Armenians had five schools for boys and three for girls.<ref name="SAE"/> According to [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]] from 1911, the town had 35 thousand people with 12 thousand Armenians, the rest being Kurdish.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Bitlis|volume=4|last=Maunsell|first=Francis Richard|author-link=Francis Richard Maunsell|page=13}}</ref> One third of the population of Bitlis was ethnic [[Armenians|Armenian]] prior to World War I (1914, whereas the majority of the population was Kurdish Muslim (Alevi as well as Sunni). Before the forced relocations (Tehcir) by Ottoman government, the Christian population of Bitlis was mainly made up of Armenians and Assyrians however during the [[Armenian genocide]], both the Armenian and Assyrian population were exterminated coinciding with the [[Assyrian genocide]] also.<ref>[[Christopher J. Walker|Walker, Christopher J.]] "The End of Armenian Taron and Baghesh, 1914-1916" in ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush'', pp. 191-206.</ref>


In February 1916, as part of the [[Caucasus Campaign]], [[Russian Empire|Imperial Russian]] forces launched an offensive to capture [[Muş|Mush]] and Bitlis. Mush fell on February 16. At Bitlis, the Turkish positions were in a strong location on the outskirts of the town and could not be outflanked because of the narrowness of the valley. On the night of March 2–3, during a blizzard, the Russian 8th Caucasian Rifles advanced silently and, after several hours of hand-to-hand fighting, took the Turkish positions with 1,000 prisoners. The Turks then abandoned Bitlis, retreating towards Siirt. The Russian forces and intelligence officers found evidence of the massacres of Christians by the Kurdish and Turkish radicals in 1915.
In February 1916, as part of the [[Caucasus Campaign]], [[Russian Empire|Imperial Russian]] forces launched an offensive to capture [[Muş|Mush]] and Bitlis. Mush fell on February 16. At Bitlis, the Turkish positions were in a strong location on the outskirts of the town and could not be outflanked because of the narrowness of the valley. On the night of March 2–3, during a blizzard, the Russian 8th Caucasian Rifles advanced silently and, after several hours of hand-to-hand fighting, took the Turkish positions with 1,000 prisoners. The Turks then abandoned Bitlis, retreating towards Siirt. The Russian forces and intelligence officers found evidence of the massacres of Christians by the Kurdish and Turkish radicals in 1915.
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{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Mother tongue, [[Bitlis District]], [[1927 Turkish census]]<ref name=1927census>{{Cite journal |last=Sertel |first=Savaş |date=2019-10-17 |title=1927 Genel Nüfus Sayımı Sonuçlarına Göre Bitlis’in Nüfus Fonksiyonları |url=https://turkishstudies.net/?mod=makale_tr_ozet&makale_id=17525 |journal=Journal of Turkish Studies |language=tr |volume=9 |issue=Volume 9 Issue 4 |pages=1015–1034 |doi=10.7827/TurkishStudies.6687|doi-access=free }}</ref>
|+ Mother tongue, [[Bitlis District]], [[1927 Turkish census]]<ref name=1927census>{{Cite journal |last=Sertel |first=Savaş |date=2019-10-17 |title=1927 Genel Nüfus Sayımı Sonuçlarına Göre Bitlis'in Nüfus Fonksiyonları |url=https://turkishstudies.net/?mod=makale_tr_ozet&makale_id=17525 |journal=Journal of Turkish Studies |language=tr |volume=9|issue=4 |pages=1015–1034 |doi=10.7827/TurkishStudies.6687|doi-access=free }}</ref>
! [[Turkish language|Turkish]] !! [[Arabic]] !! [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]] !! [[Circassian languages|Circassian]] !! [[Armenian language|Armenian]] !! Unknown or other languages
! [[Turkish language|Turkish]] !! [[Arabic]] !! [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish]] !! [[Circassian languages|Circassian]] !! [[Armenian language|Armenian]] !! Unknown or other languages
|-
|-
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==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Bêdlis.jpg|Bedlis
File:Bêdlis.jpg|Bitlis
File:Bitlis 3766 10092012.jpg|Bitlis Castle (Bitlis Kalesi)
File:Bitlis 3766 10092012.jpg|Bitlis Castle (Bitlis Kalesi)
File:Bitlis 3827 10092012.jpg|Ulu Cami text
File:Bitlis 3827 10092012.jpg|Ulu Cami text
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==Climate==
==Climate==
Bitlis has a Mediterranean-influenced [[humid continental climate]] according to the ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''Dsa'', or [[Trewartha climate classification]]: ''Dca''). Bitlis has hot, dry summers and cold, very snowy winters.
Bitlis has a Mediterranean-influenced [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dsa'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dca''). Bitlis has hot, dry summers and cold, very snowy winters. Highest snow depth recorded in Bitlis is 343&nbsp;cm (135 inches).


{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Bitlis (1991–2020, extremes 1959–2022)
{{Weather box |metric first= Yes |single line= Yes |location= Bitlis (1991–2020, extremes 1959–2023)
|Jan record high C = 10.1
|Jan record high C = 10.1
|Feb record high C = 21.9
|Feb record high C = 21.9
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|Jun record high C = 31.5
|Jun record high C = 31.5
|Jul record high C = 34.6
|Jul record high C = 34.6
|Aug record high C = 33.7
|Aug record high C = 34.3
|Sep record high C = 34.0
|Sep record high C = 34.0
|Oct record high C = 26.4
|Oct record high C = 26.4
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|Jan high C = -0.9
|Jan high C = -0.9
|Feb high C = 0.9
|Feb high C = 0.9
|Mar high C = 5.0
|Mar high C = 5.1
|Apr high C = 11.7
|Apr high C = 11.9
|May high C = 17.5
|May high C = 17.7
|Jun high C = 24.0
|Jun high C = 24.1
|Jul high C = 28.9
|Jul high C = 28.9
|Aug high C = 29.3
|Aug high C = 29.4
|Sep high C = 24.8
|Sep high C = 25.0
|Oct high C = 16.5
|Oct high C = 16.8
|Nov high C = 7.9
|Nov high C = 8.9
|Dec high C = 2.0
|Dec high C = 1.9
|year high C = 14.0
|year high C = 14.1
|Jan mean C = -4.7
|Jan mean C = -4.8
|Feb mean C = -3.4
|Feb mean C = -3.4
|Mar mean C = 0.9
|Mar mean C = 1.1
|Apr mean C = 6.8
|Apr mean C = 6.9
|May mean C = 12.3
|May mean C = 12.5
|Jun mean C = 18.1
|Jun mean C = 18.1
|Jul mean C = 22.6
|Jul mean C = 22.7
|Aug mean C = 22.8
|Aug mean C = 22.8
|Sep mean C = 18.3
|Sep mean C = 18.4
|Oct mean C = 11.2
|Oct mean C = 11.4
|Nov mean C = 4.1
|Nov mean C = 4.5
|Dec mean C = -1.6
|Dec mean C = -1.7
|year mean C = 9.0
|year mean C = 9.0
|Jan low C = -8.5
|Jan low C = -8.6
|Feb low C = -7.5
|Feb low C = -7.5
|Mar low C = -2.8
|Mar low C = -2.6
|Apr low C = 2.5
|Apr low C = 2.5
|May low C = 7.2
|May low C = 7.3
|Jun low C = 11.4
|Jun low C = 11.5
|Jul low C = 15.6
|Jul low C = 15.5
|Aug low C = 15.9
|Aug low C = 15.9
|Sep low C = 11.6
|Sep low C = 11.6
|Oct low C = 6.3
|Oct low C = 6.5
|Nov low C = 0.4
|Nov low C = 0.8
|Dec low C = -5.0
|Dec low C = -5.0
|year low C = 3.9
|year low C = 4.0
|Jan record low C = -24.1
|Jan record low C = -24.1
|Feb record low C = -20.0
|Feb record low C = -21.3
|Mar record low C = -20.3
|Mar record low C = -20.3
|Apr record low C = -10.0
|Apr record low C = -10.0
|May record low C = -0.1
|May record low C = 0.1
|Jun record low C = 5.2
|Jun record low C = 5.2
|Jul record low C = 8.1
|Jul record low C = 8.1
Line 177: Line 184:
|year record low C = -24.1
|year record low C = -24.1
|precipitation colour = green
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 161.0
|Jan precipitation mm = 169.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 114.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 111.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 170.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 170.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 136.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 117.6
|May precipitation mm = 105.7
|May precipitation mm = 103.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 14.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 15.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 11.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 9.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 6.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 6.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 27.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 22.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 89.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 90.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 86.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 87.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 123.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 141.9
|year precipitation mm = 1046.6
|year precipitation mm = 1046.8
|Jan precipitation days = 13.55
|Jan precipitation days = 15.44
|Feb precipitation days = 11.55
|Feb precipitation days = 12.78
|Mar precipitation days = 13.73
|Mar precipitation days = 16.56
|Apr precipitation days = 13.09
|Apr precipitation days = 14.78
|May precipitation days = 14.00
|May precipitation days = 14.89
|Jun precipitation days = 5.09
|Jun precipitation days = 5.67
|Jul precipitation days = 2.45
|Jul precipitation days = 2.78
|Aug precipitation days = 1.09
|Aug precipitation days = 1.44
|Sep precipitation days = 2.55
|Sep precipitation days = 2.11
|Oct precipitation days = 8.82
|Oct precipitation days = 9.89
|Nov precipitation days = 9.36
|Nov precipitation days = 10.33
|Dec precipitation days = 12.45
|Dec precipitation days = 13.67
|year precipitation days = 107.7
|year precipitation days = 120.3
|Jan sun = 74.4
|Jan sun = 74.4
|Feb sun = 96.1
|Feb sun = 96.1
Line 249: Line 256:
== Notable individuals ==
== Notable individuals ==
*[[Badh ibn Dustak]] (died 991), Kurdish tribal leader
*[[Badh ibn Dustak]] (died 991), Kurdish tribal leader
⚫
*[[Hosam al-Din Ali Bitlisi]] was a Kurdish [[Sufism|Sufi]] author. He was the father of the noted historian [[Idris Bitlisi]].
*[[Said Nursi]] (1878-1960), notable [[Kurds in Turkey|Kurdish]] [[Sunni Muslim]] [[Nur movement]] [[tariqa]] [[sheikh]]. Writer of the [[Risale-i Nur]] [[book]]s [[Collection (publishing)|collection]] used.
⚫
*[[Fuat Sezgin]] (1924-2018), a prominent Historian of Science, Orientalist was born in Bitlis. He is the author and editor of numerous publications. His 13-volume work Geschichte des Arabischen Schrifttums (1967–2000) is the cornerstone reference on the history of science and technology in the Islamic world. The 5-volume Natural Sciences of Islam documents the items in the Frankfurt museum. Since 1984 he has edited the Journal for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science.
⚫
*[[Kâmran İnan]] (Hizan, Bitlis, 1929), a well known Turkish politician, diplomat, and scholar was from Bitlis. He has written about the history of Bitlis.
*[[Salih Mirzabeyoğlu]], (1950-2018), the [[Kurds in Turkey|Kurdish]] [[poet]] and the [[leader]] of [[Islamic fundamentalism]] group of [[İBDA-C]]
*[[:tr:Onur Akın|Onur Akın]], (born 1967), the most popular [[protest music]] and [[Turkish folk music]] [[artist]].


== Mayors Of Bitlis ==
The city was the home of the sixteenth century [[Kurds|Kurdish]] historian, [[Sharafkhan Bidlisi]] (also: ''Sharaf al-Din Bitlisi''), author of the ''[[Sharafnama|Sharafnameh]]'', and who was also an appointed prince of the [[Safavid Iran|Safavid]] and later [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] empires.
* [[1977 Turkish local elections|1977]]-[[1980 Turkish coup d'état|1980]] and [[1984 Turkish local elections|1984]]-[[1994 Turkish local elections|1994]] Ahmet Muzaffer Geylani [[Republican People's Party|CHP]], [[Social Democracy Party (Turkey)|SODEP]], [[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|SHP]], [[Motherland Party (Turkey)|ANAP]]

* [[1994 Turkish local elections|1994]]-[[2004 Turkish local elections|2004]] Yaşar Burhan [[Refah Party]], [[Virtue Party|FP]], [[Saadet Party]]
⚫
[[Hosam al-Din Ali Bitlisi]] was a Kurdish [[Sufism|Sufi]] author. He was the father of the noted historian [[Idris Bitlisi]].
* [[2004 Turkish local elections|2004]]-[[2009 Turkish local elections|2009]] Cevdet Özdemir [[AK Party]]

* [[2009 Turkish local elections|2009]]-[[2014 Turkish local elections|2014]] Fehmi Alaydın [[AK Party]]
Ottoman administrator and Kurdish religious scholar and author Idris Bitlisi is claimed to have been born in Bitlis also. He was instrumental in the conquest, Ottomanization and administration of Ottoman lands from Urfa and Mardin to Egypt.
* [[2014 Turkish local elections|2014]]-[[Purges in Turkey following the 2016 Turkish coup attempt|2016]] [[Hüseyin Olan]] [[Peace and Democracy Party|BDP]], [[Democratic Regions Party|DBP]]

* [[Purges in Turkey following the 2016 Turkish coup attempt|2016]]-[[2017 Turkish constitutional referendum|2017]] [[:tr:Ahmet Çınar|Ahmet Çınar]] [[Independent politician|Independent]]
[[Said Nursî|Said Nursi]] (Nurs, Bitlis, 1877) notable Kurdish Sunni Muslim Theologian. Writer of the Risale-i-Nur collection used as the foundation of movements such as the Nurcu in Turkey and the Gulenist movement founded by [[Fetullah Gulen]].
* [[2017 Turkish constitutional referendum|2017]]-[[2019 Turkish local elections|2019]] [[:tr:Oktay Çağatay|Oktay Çağatay]] [[Independent politician|Independent]]

* [[2019 Turkish local elections|2019]]-[[present]] Nesrullah Tanğlay [[AK Party]]
⚫
[[Fuat Sezgin]] (Bitlis, 1924), a prominent Historian of Science, Orientalist was born in Bitlis. He is the author and editor of numerous publications. His 13-volume work Geschichte des Arabischen Schrifttums (1967–2000) is the cornerstone reference on the history of science and technology in the Islamic world. The 5-volume Natural Sciences of Islam documents the items in the Frankfurt museum. Since 1984 he has edited the Journal for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science.

American writer [[William Saroyan]]'s parents were immigrants from Bitlis to Fresno, California. He wrote a play titled ''Bitlis'' about his "return" to the city he considered his homeland, which he actually did visit in later years.<ref>[[David Stephen Calonne|Calonne, David Stephen]]. "The Mulberry-Scented Air of Baghesht: Saroyan's Quest for Bitlis" in ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush'', pp. 207-223.</ref>

⚫
[[Kâmran İnan]] (Hizan, Bitlis, 1929), a well known Turkish politician, diplomat, and scholar was from Bitlis. He has written about the history of Bitlis.


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 269: Line 278:
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
*[[Richard G. Hovannisian|Hovannisian, Richard G.]] (ed.) ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush''. UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 2. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2001.
*[[Richard G. Hovannisian|Hovannisian, Richard G.]] (ed.) ''Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush''. UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 2. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2001.
* [https://www.academia.edu/73769274/_Who_were_the_Assyrians_of_Bitlis_ Nicholas Al-Jeloo, 2019, "Who were the Assyrians of Bitlis?"]


==External links==
==External links==

Latest revision as of 01:29, 17 November 2024

Bitlis
Baghesh • Բաղեշ
Municipality
From top left: Ihasiye Serafhan Medrese • Bitlis Castle Tourist office • Şerefiye Mosque • Sokak Han Bitlis skyline • Pasha Hammam
From top left:
Ihasiye Serafhan Medrese • Bitlis Castle
Tourist office • Şerefiye Mosque • Sokak Han
Bitlis skyline • Pasha Hammam
Bitlis is located in Turkey
Bitlis
Bitlis
Location in Turkey
Coordinates: 38°24′00″N 42°06′30″E / 38.40000°N 42.10833°E / 38.40000; 42.10833
CountryTurkey
ProvinceBitlis
DistrictBitlis
Government
 • MayorNesrullah Tanğlay (AK Party)
Elevation
1,545 m (5,069 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
53,023
Time zoneUTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code
13000
Websitebitlis.bel.tr

Bitlis (Armenian: Բաղեշ, romanized: Baghesh or Paghesh;[2] Kurdish: Bidlîs[3]) is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the seat of Bitlis District and Bitlis Province.[4] Its population is 53,023 (2021).[1] The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15 km from Lake Van, in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis River, a tributary of the Tigris. The local economy is mainly based on agricultural products which include fruits, grain and tobacco. Industry is fairly limited, and deals mainly with leatherworking, manufacture of tobacco products as well as weaving and dyeing of coarse cloth. Bitlis is connected to other urban centres by road, including Tatvan on Lake Van, 25 km to the northeast, and the cities of Muş (Mush), 100 km northwest, and Diyarbakır, 200 km to the west. The climate of Bitlis can be harsh, with long winters and heavy snowfalls. Since the local elections of March 2019, the Mayor of Bitlis is Nesrullah Tanğlay.[5]

History

[edit]

Ancient Bitlis

[edit]
Two winged gods standing on lions are facing each other. The figures are identified as Teişeba, the Storm God. 7th century BC. from Bitlis now in Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

The origin of the name Bitlis is not known. A popular folk etymology explanation, without historical basis, is that it is derived from "Lis/Batlis", the name of a general said to have built Bitlis castle by the order of Alexander the Great.[6] To Armenians, it was known as Balalesa or Baghaghesh, and later Baghesh.[7] According to one popular Armenian folk story, on a cold, wintry day a donkey left its stable and wandered down the valley below. The donkey died of the freezing temperatures and was only discovered in the spring, once the ice had melted; thus, it received the name Pagh Esh, or "Cold Donkey."[8]

Baghesh was one of the most important cities of the Kingdom of Armenia's province of Aghdznik', and it served as the primary fortress of the province's canton of Salnodzor.[6] Some medieval Armenian writers, such as Anania Shirakatsi and Vardan Areveltsi, later mention it as a part of the canton of Bznunik'.[6] The fortress guarded the Baghesh Pass, which linked the southern reaches of the Armenian plateau to northern Mesopotamia.

Medieval Bitlis

[edit]

Under the Byzantine Empire, the town was known as Balaleison.[9] The Arabs conquered Baghesh at the end of the seventh century and it eventually became the capital of the Zurārid emirs of Arzan. Because it was on an important trade route, it prospered greatly.

The next two centuries, however, marked a turbulent period in the town's history. After Bugha al-Kabir's destructive 852-855 campaign in Armenia, the Shaybanid emirs wrested control of Baghesh from the Zurārids;[10] thereafter, in the first quarter of the tenth century, it was taken by the Kaysite emirs of Manzikert. In his 929-30 campaign against the Kaysites, the Byzantine general John Curcuas was able to capture and annex Baghesh.[6] Following the devastation of the Arab emirs in the second half of the tenth century, a great number of Kurds settled in Baghesh and at the end of the tenth century, the city fell into the hands of the Kurdish Marwanid dynasty after breaking from Buyid rule.[6] At the end of the eleventh century, with the collapse of Byzantine power after the Battle of Manzikert, Bitlis fell under the control of Togan Arslan, a subject of the Shah Arman (Also called Ahlatshah) dynasty based in Akhlat' after brief Dilmachoglu rule. It was also ruled by Ayyubid (1207–1231), Khwarezm Shahs (shortly rule in 1230), Sultanate of Rûm (1231–1243) and Ilkhanate (1243–1335).

Emirate

[edit]
Main article: Principality of Bitlis
Bitlis Castle

Bitlis was a Kurdish emirate from the 13th to the 19th century. Though often subordinate to a succession of larger powers that ruled the Van region, it always maintained a measure of independence. In the 14th century its emirs, the Kurdish Rusaki family, were vassals of the Karakoyunlu and the emirate's territory also consisted of several smaller emirates: Ahlat, Mush, and Hinis. The emir of Bitlis submitted to Timur in 1394, but later helped the re-establishment of Karakoyunlu control in the region. After the collapse of the Karakoyunlu state, the Bitlis emirate disintegrated. However, in the 1470s it took the Aq Qoyunlu (White Sheep Turkomans) three successive sieges to capture Bitlis and in 1494/95 the Motikan recaptured the town.[6] Armenians formed a large part of the city's population. A number of monasteries were permitted to be built by the Kurdish emirs and during the fifteenth century, Biltis flourished as a center for Armenian manuscript production.

Bitlis was forced to accept a Persian governor during the invasion of the Safavid Shah Ismail, but sided with the Ottoman forces as they approached the region. Its emir, Sheref, later changed his allegiance to the Persians. An Ottoman army besieged Bitlis for three months in 1531/32, but was forced to retire. Sheref was killed in battle in 1533 and his son and successor submitted to the Ottoman Empire. Mush and Hınıs were removed from the Bitlis emirate, becoming separate sanjaks but still with Ruzaki beys. A Jesuit mission was established in Bitlis in 1685. The Ruzakid Kurdish dynasty in Bitlis lasted until 1849, when an Ottoman governor evicted its last emir, Sheref Bey, who was taken to Constantinople as a prisoner. After this, Bitlis was governed by an Ottoman pasha and formed the capital of a vilayet bearing its name.[11]

For centuries, Bitlis and nearby Kurdish principalities were deeply influenced by Persian language and culture through their ties with Persian-centered empires. Persian was the language of administration, used by Sufis, poets, merchants, and scholars. Bitlis’s elites adopted Persian to align with the broader Persianate world. From the 14th century, Persian literary activity thrived in Bitlis, with notable works by Idris-i Bidlisi and Sharaf Khan. Persian was predominant in palace education, madrasas, personal correspondence, and literary and historical writings. Although Ottoman bureaucracy shifted to Turkish in the 16th century, Persian remained in use for communications with Safavid shahs and on inscriptions. Persian manuscripts filled the palace library, and its influence persisted in Bitlis’s cultural and daily life into the 19th century.[12]

Bitlis in 1690

Modern

[edit]
Ihasiye Serafhan Medrese

In 1814 the population of Bitlis town was said to be 12,000 people - one half Muslim, the other half was constituted by Christian Armenians. By 1838 its population was said to be between 15,000 and 18,000 - two thirds Muslim, one third Armenian, and a small minority of Assyrians. In 1898 Lynch considered the population to be close to 30,000, comprising 10,000 Armenians, 300 Assyrians, and the rest Muslim Kurds (both Alevis and Sunnis included).[13] The Armenians had five schools for boys and three for girls.[6] According to Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition from 1911, the town had 35 thousand people with 12 thousand Armenians, the rest being Kurdish.[14] One third of the population of Bitlis was ethnic Armenian prior to World War I (1914, whereas the majority of the population was Kurdish Muslim (Alevi as well as Sunni). Before the forced relocations (Tehcir) by Ottoman government, the Christian population of Bitlis was mainly made up of Armenians and Assyrians however during the Armenian genocide, both the Armenian and Assyrian population were exterminated coinciding with the Assyrian genocide also.[15]

In February 1916, as part of the Caucasus Campaign, Imperial Russian forces launched an offensive to capture Mush and Bitlis. Mush fell on February 16. At Bitlis, the Turkish positions were in a strong location on the outskirts of the town and could not be outflanked because of the narrowness of the valley. On the night of March 2–3, during a blizzard, the Russian 8th Caucasian Rifles advanced silently and, after several hours of hand-to-hand fighting, took the Turkish positions with 1,000 prisoners. The Turks then abandoned Bitlis, retreating towards Siirt. The Russian forces and intelligence officers found evidence of the massacres of Christians by the Kurdish and Turkish radicals in 1915.

In August 1916 the Turkish Second Army started an offensive against the Russian front in eastern Turkey. On August 2, the Ottoman 16th Corps, together with strong Kurdish irregulars' support, attacked Bitlis and Mush.[16] Fearing encirclement General Nazarbekov, the Russian commander, abandoned Bitlis on August 5.[16] When Mush also fell, he decided to abandon Tatvan and the whole Mush valley and retreat to Ahlat.[16] Around 18 August, the Russians having been reinforced, were able to counter-attack.[17] By September the Turkish offensive was stalled and then turned. Nazarbekov advanced as the Turkish forces withdrew from Tatvan and Mush,[17] but he did not have the available forces to hold Bitlis as winter approached. The Russian February Revolution in the spring of 1917 prevented any further Russian gains.[18]

Tourism

[edit]

The main places with tourism potential in Bitlis are Lake Nemrut, Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, Ahlat Museum, Mount Süphan, Güroymak Hot Springs and Lake Nazik.

Description

[edit]
Tombstones of Ahlat in Bitlis province

Bitlis preserves more medieval and traditional architecture than any other town in eastern Turkey. They are of a high quality and are mostly constructed from locally quarried light-brown stone, sometimes called Ahlat stone.

The town contains a large number of late-medieval Islamic buildings in the form of mosques, madrassas, and tombs. Also commercial buildings such as "Han's Caravanserais. Commissioned mostly by its local Kurdish rulers, the architectural style of these buildings is very conservative and similar to much earlier Seljuq-period structures. Important monuments include the 12th-century Ulu Mosque with its 15th-century minaret, and the Gokmeydani Medresesi and Sherefiye Mosque from the sixteenth century. Until 1915 there were five Armenian monasteries and several churches in Bitlis – only a 19th-century Armenian church survives, now used as a warehouse.[19]

Bitlis is also notable for its many old houses. These are built of cut stone and are often large and impressive structures. Most have two stories, but three stories are also found. Ground floors were generally intended for storage and stables, with the residential quarters on the upper floors. Ground floor rooms have few windows, upper floors are well lit. Roofs are flat and covered with beaten clay. Unlike traditional houses in nearby Erzurum or Van, Bitlis houses do not have bay windows and balconies.[20]

Demographics

[edit]

On the eve of the First World War, the town had about 30,000 inhabitants: two-thirds Kurds and one-third Armenians. All Armenians were massacred by the Turkish regular army led by Djevdet Bey as part of the Armenian genocide.[21]

Mother tongue, Bitlis District, 1927 Turkish census[22]
Turkish Arabic Kurdish Circassian Armenian Unknown or other languages
9,350 55 10,344 2 3 1
Religion, Bitlis District, 1927 Turkish census[22]
Muslim Armenian Jewish Other Christian
19,752 2 1 –
[edit]
  • Bitlis
    Bitlis
  • Bitlis Castle (Bitlis Kalesi)
    Bitlis Castle (Bitlis Kalesi)
  • Ulu Cami text
    Ulu Cami text
  • Bitlis Şerefiye Mosque
    Bitlis Şerefiye Mosque
  • Ihasiye Şerafhan Medresesi view of türbes
    Ihasiye Şerafhan Medresesi view of türbes
  • Bitlis view
    Bitlis view

Climate

[edit]

Bitlis has a Mediterranean-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen: Dsa, Trewartha: Dca). Bitlis has hot, dry summers and cold, very snowy winters. Highest snow depth recorded in Bitlis is 343 cm (135 inches).

Climate data for Bitlis (1991–2020, extremes 1959–2023)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2) 		21.9
(71.4) 		16.7
(62.1) 		22.3
(72.1) 		27.4
(81.3) 		31.5
(88.7) 		34.6
(94.3) 		34.3
(93.7) 		34.0
(93.2) 		26.4
(79.5) 		21.7
(71.1) 		13.3
(55.9) 		34.6
(94.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −0.9
(30.4) 		0.9
(33.6) 		5.1
(41.2) 		11.9
(53.4) 		17.7
(63.9) 		24.1
(75.4) 		28.9
(84.0) 		29.4
(84.9) 		25.0
(77.0) 		16.8
(62.2) 		8.9
(48.0) 		1.9
(35.4) 		14.1
(57.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −4.8
(23.4) 		−3.4
(25.9) 		1.1
(34.0) 		6.9
(44.4) 		12.5
(54.5) 		18.1
(64.6) 		22.7
(72.9) 		22.8
(73.0) 		18.4
(65.1) 		11.4
(52.5) 		4.5
(40.1) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		9.0
(48.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −8.6
(16.5) 		−7.5
(18.5) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		2.5
(36.5) 		7.3
(45.1) 		11.5
(52.7) 		15.5
(59.9) 		15.9
(60.6) 		11.6
(52.9) 		6.5
(43.7) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		4.0
(39.2)
Record low °C (°F) −24.1
(−11.4) 		−21.3
(−6.3) 		−20.3
(−4.5) 		−10.0
(14.0) 		0.1
(32.2) 		5.2
(41.4) 		8.1
(46.6) 		9.9
(49.8) 		0.0
(32.0) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		−10.0
(14.0) 		−20.8
(−5.4) 		−24.1
(−11.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 169.3
(6.67) 		111.0
(4.37) 		170.4
(6.71) 		117.6
(4.63) 		103.2
(4.06) 		15.5
(0.61) 		9.8
(0.39) 		6.8
(0.27) 		22.8
(0.90) 		90.6
(3.57) 		87.9
(3.46) 		141.9
(5.59) 		1,046.8
(41.21)
Average precipitation days 15.44 12.78 16.56 14.78 14.89 5.67 2.78 1.44 2.11 9.89 10.33 13.67 120.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 74.4 96.1 158.1 177.0 229.4 279.0 303.8 300.7 276.0 167.4 87.0 62.0 2,210.9
Mean daily sunshine hours 2.4 3.4 5.1 5.9 7.4 9.3 9.8 9.7 9.2 5.4 2.9 2.0 6.0
Source: Turkish State Meteorological Service[23][24]

Economy

[edit]

Historically, Bitlis produced wheat, which the British, in 1920, described as being "particularly excellent." However, poor trade routes in the area during the early 20th century meant that the wheat was mainly produced and used by locals. During this time, the British stated that the people of Bitlis were unable to use all of the wheat they produced, and most was "left to rot in the underground storehouses."[25]

Notable individuals

[edit]

Mayors Of Bitlis

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2021" (XLS) (in Turkish). TÜİK. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. ^ Hakobyan, Tadevos (1987). Patmakan Hayastani kʻaghakʻnerě Պատմական Հայաստանի քաղաքները [The cities of historic Armenia] (in Armenian). Yerevan: "Hayastan" Publishing. p. 98.
  3. ^ Adem, Avcıkıran (2009). Kürtçe Anamnez Anamneza bi Kurmancî (in Turkish and Kurdish). p. 55.
  4. ^ İl Belediyesi, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları - 31 Mart 2019 Yerel Seçimleri". www.sabah.com.tr. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g (in Armenian) s.v. "Baghesh," Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 2, pp. 254-256.
  7. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. "The Historical Geography of Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush" in Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush. Richard G. Hovannisian (ed.) UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 2. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 2001, p. 52.
  8. ^ Ghanalanian, Aram (1969). Avandapatum [Traditional Tales] (in Armenian). Yerevan: Manuk Abeghian Institute of Literature. p. 160.
  9. ^ Adontz, Nicholas (1970), Armenia in the Period of Justinian: The Political Conditions Based on the Naxarar System (PDF), translated by Garsoïan, Nina G., Lisbon: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, p. 175.
  10. ^ Ter-Ghevondyan, Aram N. (1965). Arabakan amirayutyunnere Bagratunyats Hayastanum [The Arab Emirates in Bagratuni Armenia] (in Armenian). Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences. p. 104.
  11. ^ Sinclair, Thomas A (1987). Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey, Volume 1. London: Pindar Press. pp. 330–336. ISBN 0-907132-32-4.
  12. ^ Genç, Vural (2024). "The Cultural Impact of the Persian Language in and around Bidlis". Iranian Studies. 57 (1): 27–45. doi:10.1017/irn.2023.61.
  13. ^ Lynch, H.F.B. (1901). Armenia, Travels and Studies, Volume 2. London: Longmans. p. 151.
  14. ^ Maunsell, Francis Richard (1911). "Bitlis" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 13.
  15. ^ Walker, Christopher J. "The End of Armenian Taron and Baghesh, 1914-1916" in Armenian Baghesh/Bitlis and Taron/Mush, pp. 191-206.
  16. ^ a b c William Edward David Allen, Paul Muratoff, Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border 1828-1921, (Cambridge University Press, 2010), 421-422.
  17. ^ a b Edward J. Erickson, Ordered to Die:A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, (Greenwood Press, 2001), 133.
  18. ^ Allen, William E.D.; Paul Muratoff (1953). Caucasian Battlefields. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 438–439.
  19. ^ Sinclair. Eastern Turkey, pp. 297-308.
  20. ^ (in Turkish) Sayin, Y. Bitlis Evleri (The Homes in Bitlis). Ankara, 2001, pp. 43-44.
  21. ^ "Kaza Bitlis / Բաղեշ - Baghesh / ܒܝܬ ܕܠܝܣ Beṯ Dlis". Virtual Genocide Memorial. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  22. ^ a b Sertel, Savaş (2019-10-17). "1927 Genel Nüfus Sayımı Sonuçlarına Göre Bitlis'in Nüfus Fonksiyonları". Journal of Turkish Studies (in Turkish). 9 (4): 1015–1034. doi:10.7827/TurkishStudies.6687.
  23. ^ "Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Mevism Normalleri (1991–2020)" (in Turkish). Turkish State Meteorological Service. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Resmi İstatistikler: İllerimize Ait Genel İstatistik Verileri" (in Turkish). Turkish State Meteorological Service. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  25. ^ Prothero, W.G. (1920). Armenia and Kurdistan. London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 60.

Further reading

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