Mount Shekaghbyur

Mount Shekaghbyur is located in the Lori region, between the villages Ardvi and Hovnanadzor. The height of the mountain is 2061 m. It is one of the highest peaks of the Virahayots Mountains.

The navel of snake

The route to Mount Shekaghbyur passes next to the natural monument called “The navel of snake”. It is located in the eastern part of the Ardvi rural community. “The navel of snake” was included in the list of state natural monuments in 2008. The monument is a huge stone snake that can be distinguished in the rock, from the middle of which cold water flows, forming a small spring.

Natural monument “The navel of snake”

According to the legend, on the right side of the ravine there was a school where Catholicos Hovhannes Odznetsi educated his seven students. Once, on the left side of the ravine, a terrible dragon appears on a mountain slope and everything around freezes from the sounds it makes. A woman with a milk pail on her shoulders goes down the slope and seeing a terrible monster immediately turns to stone. Hovhannes sends one of his students to find out what happened. The student does not return and ends up in the mouth of the dragon. Hovhannes sends the next student, but he also disappears. Thus, all seven students become victims of the dragon. Hovhannes leaves school and goes in search of his students. He meets the big dragon who was prepared to accept its next victim. Hovhannes Odznetsi hits the dragon on the head with his cane and says: “Turn into stone, and let water flow from your heart and heal the sick”. The words of the holy Hovhannes immediately come true and the dragon turns into stone.

Photos by Hrachuhi Ayvazyan and Tigran Varag