Mount Maratuk

Mount Maratuk is located in Sasun province of Armenian Highland. It used to be the most loved and worshiped mountain among the people of Sasun. On the top of the mountain, at an altitude of 2967 m, there is the monastery of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). Garegin Srvandztiants called the mountain “Holy and Devout”. This mountain became the first and last most faithful oath for all the people of Sasun.

Mount Maratuk or Marutasar

The epic “David of Sassoun” says that the monastery was built by order of Mher, who also named the monastery “Holy Mother of God Maruta Church”. There is one accepted opinion on the name of Maruta. They say that it comes from Aramaic word Maruta, which means “the master of my world”.

Mount Maratuk

The Legend of Maratuk

According to legend, the worship of Mount Maratuk greatly angered Mount Andok (a mountain in Sasun province). Mount Andok challenged Mount Maratuk to battle. During the fight, Mount Andok hits the head of Maratuk with its thunder sword and leaves a large crack on it. That is why Mount Maruta is also called “two headed Maratuk”. Injured by the strike of Andok, Maruta tears open a giant piece of cliff and fights back. The cliff crashes into the chest of Mount Andok. Only one part of the cliff remained outside the mountain, on which you can still see the handprints of Mount Maratuk.

Photos by Tigran Shahbazyan, Davit Mirzoyan and Gevorg Haroyan