History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore
Sarıkamış Soğanlı Martyrdom is a sacred homeland place that keeps alive the cherished memory of tens of thousands of heroic Mehmetçik who froze and drank the sherbet of martyrdom while trying to cross the Soğanlı and Allahuekber Mountains in the freezing frost of minus forty degrees to save their homeland from the Russian occupation on the Caucasus Front of the First World War in the winter of 1914-1915. The monument rising in the Soğanlı Geçidi location, where the 9th and 10th Corps units marched to God without firing a single bullet in a freezing blizzard and blizzard, is an immortal symbol of the Turkish nation's love of homeland and sacrifice. In local legends, it is narrated that the villagers and shepherds passing through the Soğanlı forests on winter nights heard the Mehmetçiks' cries of "Allah Allah" amidst the howling of the wind, and that the spiritual spirit of thousands of martyrs lying without shrouds under the snow protected the Kars plateaus like a castle, with deep awe and tears. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features
It is located in the northwest of Sarıkamış district, on the Soğanlı Mountains range, at an altitude of approximately 2,150 meters. It is surrounded by high-altitude Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forests and alpine mountain meadows, unique only to the Caucasus and Sarıkamış in the world; It is under white snow cover for at least 6 months of the year. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees
•Entrance Fee:Visiting the martyrs' cemetery and monument area is completely free.•Visiting Hours and Days (Mandatory): It is open to visitors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (snow conditions should be taken into consideration in winter months).•Rules, Safety and Stroller/Disabled Access: Deep respect, silence and decorum rules apply at the Martyrs' Memorial site; The ceremony area and memorial road are accessible to disabled people.•Facilities and Facilities:There is a ceremony area, martyrs' monument, informational inscriptions, flagpoles and a parking area. Transportation, Public Transit Routes and Exact Location•Address / Open Location:Soğanlı Dağı Geçidi Mevkii, Sarıkamış / Kars.•Road Condition and Vehicle Suitability: It can be reached from Sarıkamış district center via the Soğanlı and Selim plateau road via a stabilized and asphalt mountain road; Winter tires and chains are mandatory in winter.•Actual Public Transportation Information (Mandatory): In the 'Turkey Marches with its Martyrs' commemoration program held every year in the first week of January, free shuttles are removed to the area by Kars Governorship and Sarıkamış Municipality.•Parking Availability:There is ample parking space around the monument. Spiritual Visiting Etiquette and Commemoration Guidelines•Spiritual Visit and Prayer Etiquette: Fatiha-i Şerife and prayers should be offered to the souls of our martyrs with dignity and reverence; The sacrifice of our martyrs under the snow cover should be contemplated.•Documentary & Respectful Shooting:Non-serious selfies should be strictly avoided at the Martyrs' Memorial site; The majesty of the Turkish flag waving among the snowy Scots pines should be photographed with documentary respect.•Important Commemoration Days:Tens of thousands of citizens participate in the Sarıkamış Martyrs' Memorial March, held every year in the first week of January, and walk along the historical route.•Local Gastronomy Recommendations:You should try the traditional Kars goose cooked in the oven in the center of Sarıkamış, bulgur pilaf with goose fat, Sarıkamış honey and the famous Kars gruyere.