Mount Ararat

Great Ararat from the east

Satellite image of Mount Ararat

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Mount Ararat, also Great Ararat ( from the Hebrew, derived from Assyrian Urartu; Kurdish Çiyayê Agiri / Shaxi Ararat, in Turkish Büyük Ağrı Dagi, Armenian Մասիս / Masis or Արարատ / Ararat ), a dormant volcano in Ararathochland in Eastern Anatolia is close to the border with Armenia and Iran. He is with 5137 meters above sea level the highest mountain on the territory of Turkey. The Kurdish name, Çiyayê Agiri means the fiery mountain ' ( agir ' fire ', ciya, mountain ').

The smaller neighboring mountain, the Little Ararat (Turkish: Küçük Ağrı Dagi ) is 3896 meters high. In 2004, both Araratberge part of a national park.

Myth

In the mountains of Ararat after the flood to Noah's Ark stranded be (Gen 8.4 EU). The Vulgate speaks here of the montes Armeniae, so the "Mountains of Armenia ", while it was in the Nova Vulgata changed in montes Ararat, " mountains of Ararat ". However Recognized scientific evidence for this report are missing. The Quran is the Cudi Dagi as a landing pad.

A process called " Ararat anomaly " designated geological formation near the summit was known in the 20th century by aerial photographs and fed speculation about the remains of the biblical Noah's ark.

Coat of Arms dispute

Even if the Ararat is in Turkey today, he is the national symbol of the Armenians in the six Armenian eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire had to genocide of the Armenians in 1915, mostly they settled around the Ararat. He was in the national coat of arms of the Armenian SSR and is also in the coat of arms of Armenia mapped. Turkey protested by stating that the mountain lay on Turkish territory and therefore should not be recognized by Armenia and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko countered later by pointing out that in contrast to Turkey the moon as a crescent in the flag lead, although neither the moon nor a part of it belonged to Turkey.

First ascent

The first historically documented Gipfelersteigung the Great Ararat on 27 Septemberjul. / October 9 1829greg. by a small expedition, led by Friedrich Parrot, the former rector of the University of Tartu (Estonia). He was accompanied by his Armenian leader, later known novelists Chatschatur Abovyan, the two Russian soldiers Alexei Sdrowenko and Matvey Tschalpanow from 41 Russian fighter regiment, and the two farmers Owannes Aiwassian and Murat from Pogossian Located close to the mountain place Arguri. James Bryce climbed Mount Ararat in 1876 and claimed to have seen at 4,000 m above sea level a piece of processed wood.

Alpinism

Since 2001, the Turkish authorities permit subject to conditions a summit ascent for foreigners. In addition to a special visa, approval of the Tourism and the Ministry of Defence must be available for the exhibition by the Embassy, the permission of the Turkish mountaineers Association is required. The exhibition can take months. The visa must be requested prior to departure at least ten weeks. Not allowed are individual tours; every mountaineer has to join a group. In the climatically favorable for the ascent summer months, numerous expeditions find on the mountain. Most of the mountain is committed by the south side. The starting point is the border town Doğubeyazıt, from a driveway to the last settlement, the Kurdish shepherds village Eliköy leads. The base camp is located at 3150 meters above sea level The summit ascent takes place from Camp I of 4200 meters. In addition to the usual southern route, there is an east and a northern route. The northern route runs from the city Aralık for the first camp at 2,750 m. The ascent is then carried out by the lake Köp Gölü. In the months of March to May, the Ararat is also mounted on skis. "Many feel the Ararat mountain as very light, for example, in June, July and August [ ... ] but in the winter it is totally difficult and can be very dangerous. We also have a rescue team. We already have a few people brought down -. Deaths " ( statement of Kurdish mountain guide Kemal Çeven who has already climbed Mount Ararat claims to 200 times ). In the winter months the climate in the mountains is very unstable, snowstorms make an ascent often impossible.

The Great Ararat seen from Doğubeyazıt (Turkey) from.

The Great Ararat, view from the plane.

The Great Ararat seen from Iğdır (Turkey) from.

Great Ararat from the west

Cityscape of the Armenian capital of Yerevan with Ararat in the background

Film

• Ararat (2002 ), a film drama of the Canadian- Armenian film director Atom Egoyan, which deals with the memory of the genocide of the Armenians.