Բաղացսար / Մեղրու լեռներ

Meghri Mountain Range

Length: 64 km

Highest summit: Mount Baghatssar (3,249 m)

Coordinates: 39°5’29.75, 46°17’45.75

The Meghri Mountain Range extends from the Zangezur Mountains to the Araks Valley and serves as a watershed between the Araks and Voghji rivers. The range widens as it approaches Khustup Mountain before narrowing again in the eastern part and descending sharply towards the Araks Valley.

The southern slopes of the range are thickly wooded and occasionally fragmented by ravines and the forested northeastern slopes descend sharply to the Tsav depression. The northern slopes are largely bare of any vegetation and are quite fragmented by the rivulets of the Meghri River system and tributaries of the Araks. In the upper-reaches of the range, alpine meadows thrive.

The mountains of the Meghri Range testify to an ancient tradition of sun worship in the region, with several nearby locations named after the Sun God (Arev, in Armenian). Initially, the entire province was named Arevik after the deity, and the name of village Shvanidzor after Shivini –another deity in the pantheon of the Sun God.

Video by Gagik Sargsyan

Mount Baghatssar

Located in Syunik Province, Mount Baghatssar is about 5 km to the northwest of Shishkert village, and extends 4-5 km from east to west. Baghatssar is joined to Mount Ltchkut to the west and Mount Tchgnavor to the south, and forms a watershed between the Voghji and Meghri rivers. The mountain is now on the territory of Arevik National Park, and takes its name from the historical Baghk Province.

Photo by Hrachuhi Ayvazyan, Aghasi Martirosyan & Tigran Shahbazyan