Perekop

For other uses, see Perekop (disambiguation).

Perekop Перекоп Or Qapı
A map showing the location of Perekop
Perekop Location of Perekop within the Crimea, Ukraine
Coordinates: 46°9′42″N 33°41′34″E / 46.16167°N 33.69278°E / 46.16167; 33.69278
Country	Ukraine
Territory	Crimea
Region	Armiansk municipality
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population (2001)
– Total	894
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
– Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	96011
Area code(s)	+380-6567
Former names	Or Qapı, Tafgros

Perekop (Ukrainian and Russian: Перекоп; Crimean Tatar: Or Qapı) is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea. The village currently is part of Armyansk city, a historical Ermeni Bazar.

Name

The name Or Qapı in Crimean Tatar language means Or - trench and Qapı - gate, while Perekop in Slavic languages literally means an over-dug locality. Earlier the settlement also carried a Greek name Tafgros which also means an over-dug locality.

History

During the Russo-Turkish War (1735–1739), Russian Field Marshal Burkhard Christoph von Munnich successfully stormed the fortifications on June 17, 1736 and left the Tatar fortress in ruins. This was a serious, if not mortal, blow to the independence of the Crimean Khanate.

The town was virtually wiped out during the Siege of Perekop by the Red Army in 1920. The siege was a key episode of the Russian Civil War. The success of the Bolsheviks allowed them to oust Pyotr Wrangel's White Army from the Crimea. Twelve years later, the Soviets founded the new town of Krasnoperekopsk 32 km (20 mi) to the south.

See also

• Burkhard Christoph von Münnich
• Pliny the Elder

External links

• Registration card at Verkhovna Rada
• Description of Perekop at the geographical dictionary of Polish Kingdom
• Perekop's Coat of Arms
• A website dedicated to Perekop

Coordinates: 46°9′42″N 33°41′34″E / 46.16167°N 33.69278°E / 46.16167; 33.69278