Kizlyar

History

The first reference to Kizlyar dates back to 1609, although some historians associate the place with Samandar, the 8th-century capital of Khazaria. In 1735, the Russian government built a fortress in Kizlyar and laid foundations for the Caucasus fortified borderline. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Kizlyar was one of the trading posts between Russia and the Middle East and Central Asia. During this period, the population was largely Armenian and Russian. In 1796, there were 2,800 Armenians and 1,000 Russians living in Kizlyar.

In January 1996, the local airbase was raided by the Chechen separatists in the course of the Kizlyar raid, which claimed the lives of seventy-eight Russian soldiers.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Kizlyar serves as the administrative center of Kizlyarsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is, together with one urban-type settlement (Komsomolsky) and one rural locality (the railway crossing loop of No. 17), incorporated separately as the Town of Kizlyar—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the Town of Kizlyar is incorporated as Kizlyar Urban Okrug.

Demographics

As of the 2002 Census, the town's ethnic composition was as follows:

Economy

In the early 19th century, Kizlyar became a center of viticulture and wine making. The local "cognac factory" (Кизлярский коньячный завод) produces a variety of alcoholic beverages but specializes primarily in a regional variant of brandy, marketed throughout Russia as "cognac". Kizlyarka is a type of grape vodka produced in Kizlyar. Kizlyar is also known for traditional knife, dagger, and saber making.

Twin towns and sister cities

Kizlyar has sister city relationships with:

Notable people