Life in Ardahan
Ardahan is the smallest provincial capital in Turkey and, until 1993, was a small town in the neighboring province of Kars. Since the district was made a province there has been new investment in government buildings and services but life in mountains that spend half the year under snow is still a struggle. There are hotels mainly used by truck drivers and other travellers crossing into Georgia.
Kars Kafkas University has an institute in Ardahan and there is a sizeable military presence. The civil servants, academics and military officers stationed here all help to support the local economy. These people have their own clubs and guest houses, while in the town itself there are few social and cultural amenities apart from two or three cake shops and a kebab restaurant. Shopping is also limited.
This area is renowned for its hard yellow cheese kaşar and its geese.
