Mount Ararat - mystery, mystery, legend

Mount Ararat, the undisputed and long-standing symbol of the Armenian people, is the highest mass of the entire Armenian upland.

1. Mount Ararat. General description of the area

Its origin is due to the now extinct volcano. As if to prove this, all the slopes are mostly very deserted, and steep slopes and more gently sloping places are covered with a huge amount of basalt debris from the Cenozoic period. Once these stones were part of a powerful lava flow, which for several centuries managed not only, of course, to cool down, but also to weaken.

Excessive dryness of the slopes, by the way, is also explained by the fact of volcanic origin. Porous volcanic rocks feed only on meltwater of glaciers, and this, as a rule, does not contribute at all to the growth of abundant vegetation in the warm season, nor to the variety and riot of colors in the early spring or autumn. Only in the vicinity of the Sardar-Bulagsky saddle, in a place where an abundant mountain stream of life-giving moisture still breaks out from the earth's surface, vegetation is more magnificent, and a tired traveler can rest for a while in a small, practically tiny, but cool and filling By the birch grove.

In fact, Mount Ararat is not one, but two high peaks at once, the distance between them is 11 km: the small one is Sis (3896 meters) and the big Masis. The height of the latter is 4420 meters.

In general, there are about 30 fairly small glaciers, the largest of which is the two-kilometer glacier St. Yakov.

2. Mount Ararat and its legends

If we believe the biblical legends, it was Ararat that once became a berth for Noah's Ark. According to the legend, a few days have passed since the beginning of the flood, and Noah, who could not see with his own eyes a single piece of dry land, released a dove. The bird was not present long enough, but when, at last, has returned to the rescuer, in a beak at it there was a fresh olive branch. This could only mean one thing: the water receded and a new and completely different life began. Noah went out with his family from the legendary ark, descended from the mountain and happily lived in the valley. It was then, in accordance with the Christian beliefs, the first grapes were planted and the beginning of the currently popular handicraft in Armenia is laid.

Mount Ararat from time to time attracts new romantics who continue and will probably continue to dig in this place. Why? It is said that from the side where the biblical events developed according to the aforementioned tradition, the peak covered with a snow-white cap of eternal snows continues to keep its secret. Perhaps it is there, deep beneath the ice sheet, the remains of the oldest ark are still hidden.

By the way, this is not the only story related to the great mountain. Having read several Armenian fairy tales, I managed to learn about one very beautiful legend about the creation of the world. According to her, since the time of the formation of the planet and up to the present day, the Caucasus is safely and selflessly guarded by three mountain giants: Elbrus, Kazbek and Ararat.

3. Mount Ararat as a symbol of the Armenian people

Situated on the territory of the Turkish state, Mount Ararat is located in a place that three Asian states at once tried to possess: Iran, Turkey and Armenia.

In accordance with two treaties: Karsky and Moscow, Mount Ararat withdrew to Turkey as early as 1921, but so far Armenians can not accept this loss, considering it a loss of the national symbol.

By the way, as a confirmation of this, it is from the Armenian and not the Turkish side that the height of Mount Ararat, its greatness and breathtaking spirit, almost unearthly beauty, is more noticeable.

Any Armenian, even the most modern and not particularly paying attention to the signs, will say that, according to the ancient belief, Mount Ararat knows how to predict the future. It is worth to see the peak, which opened in all its glory, from the very morning, and you can be sure that the whole future day will be very successful.

So every morning people of this country, from small to large, look at the sacred mountain.

The sign is ... Habit ...