Shaki Waterfall, Sisian

Just before the entrance to Sisian, the Shaki Waterfall tumbles down from a steep cliff in an 18-meter cascade—one of Armenia’s most striking natural sights. Though modest in height, the fall’s force and setting are arresting. The water, fed by the Shaki stream, a tributary of the roaring Vorotan River, appears to rush straight toward the viewer, pouring over dark stone walls into a narrow gorge. It’s a favorite spot for photography, and visitors often line up to capture the scene against its wild, rugged backdrop.

But Shaki is more than a scenic wonder; it carries the weight of an old, haunting tale. Local legend tells of a time when ninety-three young women from the village of Gegarkuni were captured by foreign invaders. Destined for the harem of a conquering general, the women were marched to the enemy’s camp. Before they were handed over, they asked for one final ritual—permission to bathe in the river.

The soldiers allowed it.

As soon as the women entered the water, they let the current take them, choosing death over slavery. All but one—Shaki, blue-eyed and defiant—tried to swim to the far shore. The soldiers spotted her and gave chase. Just as they reached out to seize her, the river heaved. A cliff rose suddenly from the riverbed, shielding her from their grasp. She vanished behind the rock, hidden forever.

From that moment on, the waterfall bore her name. Shaki, the girl who escaped by merging with the land, became part of the story told by falling water. The nearby village now shares her name, a quiet echo of her flight—and her freedom.