Top 5 most beautiful mountains of Armenia

In the mountainous countries like Armenia the greatest treasure is the mountains. It’s hard to specify the most beautiful mountains as all of them are beautiful. Nevertheless, we have specified the top 5 most beautiful mountains of Armenia, which are worth seeing.

Sevazhayr – 2727 m

Mount Sevazhayr is located in Vayots Dzor region, 2 km northwest of Sevazhayr village. Even from a distance it commands attention with its rocky peak. Although it looks relatively inaccessible, it can be climbed.

Ukhtasar

Ukhtasar is not a geographical name of the mountain. We don’t have a mountain with this name. The ancient site in the central part of Syunik highland carries that name and is spread all over the highland. For centuries people used to go on pilgrimages and make some rituals here – or perhaps they made sacrifices to gods.

You can read more about Ukhtasar here – Ukhtasar-Tsghuk

In this part of Syunik highland we have specified 3 significant summits: Trasar (3549m), Tsghuk (3581m) and unnamed mountain, which has a shape of a camel.

Khustup – 3201 m

Khustup is located in Syunik province – Khustup-Katar massif. The slopes are divided, there are a lot of cliffs and caves. The landscape is covered with mountain meadows and the north-eastern slopes are covered with forests. From the snowmelt in mountains a lot of water sources and small rivers start, from which the river Vachagan is formed.

The remains of an Armenian commander Garegin Nzhdeh are buried on the slopes of the mount Khustup.

Aragats – 4090 m

Mountain Aragats is a massif in the western part of Armenia, between Ararat and Shirak valleys, Akhuryan and Kasagh rivers. It is a regular cone with jagged summits and slightly oblique slopes. Aragats is the highest mountain of Armenia and the fourth highest one in the Armenian Highland. The mountain has 4 peaks, the highest of which is the Northern one – 4090.1 m.

Azhdahak – 3597 m

Azhdahak is the highest peak of the Geghama mountain range. It is situated on the border of Kotayk and Gegharkunik regions. It’s an extinct volcanic cone which has a crater with the depth of 50 m and a periphery of 500 m filled with crystal-clear water. It has been formed in the upper anthropogenic area, because of volcanic eruptions and lava flows.

 Origin of the name

In the Iranian mythology Azhdahak is an evil dragon Azhi Dahaka. Azhi means snake, which was defeated by the hero Traitaunas (Fereydun). In “Shahnameh” Azhi Dahaka considered to be a foreign tyrant king named Zohak, against whom Fereydun was fighting.

In ancient Armenian novel the mythological monster Azhi Dahaka became a king of Media, who later was defeated by king Tigran.

 

Article by Tigran Shahbazyan

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Hiking and trekking in Armenia