Mount Ararat

The sights relate to the countries:TurkeyArmenia

Mount Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey, reaching a height of 5137 meters. It is a dormant volcano rising above an arid plain, with its snow-capped summit visible for miles around. Ararat is located in the northeastern part of the country, 16 km west of Iran and 32 km south of Armenia.

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Over the centuries, the area has belonged to the territories of different countries: most often the Ottoman Turks ruled here, although Ararat is also depicted on the Armenian coat of arms.

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Mount Ararat is of interest to both archaeologists and representatives of various religious denominations because of its mention in the Book of Genesis. It is believed that this is where Noah landed after the flood. In the year 70, the ark was said to have been seen on Mount Ararat, and Marco Polo in 1300, although both reports are secondary. A text on clay tablets discovered in Nineveh, known as the “Poem of Gilgamesh”, dated around the 7th century BC, tells the same story, so it may be that the account draws on Babylonian lore. In The Poem of Gilgamesh, the hero is called Utnapishtim, and he is ordered to build an ark by the god of wisdom, Ea.

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In 2004, the area was included in the Kaskar Mountains National Park to attract tourists to the area. This greatly eases the issue of foreigners visiting the area, but permission must still be obtained at least two months in advance of the intended visit, as the region is of exceptional political importance.