Mount Ararat, formed in the mists of prehistory through powerful volcanic activity, stands as a stratovolcano with a distinctive dual-cone structure—Masis and Sis—rising from a shared base. To the locals, this mighty peak is known as Ağrı Dağı, a name that resonates with reverence. Beyond its ethereal beauty, Ararat commands awe through its deep biblical associations.
According to researchers and ancient traditions, it was here that Noah’s Ark came to rest as the floodwaters of the Great Deluge began to recede. Many believe that life on Earth was renewed and repopulated from this very mountain after Noah descended from its slopes. Though definitive archaeological confirmation remains elusive, travelers from across the globe are drawn by the mountain’s spiritual gravity, eager to encounter the “cradle of humankind.”
Rising from the right bank of the Aras River, Ararat dominates the surrounding plain, its silhouette resembling a celestial bird soaring skyward. Though no rivers originate from its summit, meltwater from its glaciers seeps into the surrounding land, transforming it into lush, fertile pastures. Its upper and lower slopes are largely barren, save for occasional birches and sparse shrubs. However, at its feet, meadows explode in a vibrant mosaic of color during the flowering season. In summer, vegetation flourishes between altitudes of 1,500 to 3,000 meters, where shepherds graze their sheep on the green highland pastures.
Above 4,250 meters, the mountain wears a mantle of eternal snow. Nearly thirty glaciers have been documented. According to eyewitness accounts, just a few centuries ago, the slopes were home to bears, tigers, and lions. Medieval legends even speak of fantastical beasts—resembling dragons—lurking in the clefts and ravines.
For centuries, Ararat retained the reputation of an unconquerable summit. Ascents were deterred by both the sacred status of the mountain and the real, tangible perils it posed: rockfalls, avalanches, and extreme temperature swings. Composed of volcanic ash and lava, the mountain’s peaks lack visible craters. Its slopes are scarred with deep gullies, fractured cliffs, and rugged outcroppings. Masis and Sis are joined by the Sardar Bulak Saddle, and the greater Ararat foothills support a diverse range of flora and fauna. Even in ancient times, royalty and nobility hunted in these fertile lands.
Archaeological finds—human remains and artifacts buried beneath volcanic ash and stone—testify to Ararat’s eruptions as early as the 3rd millennium BCE. Its last recorded eruption, accompanied by an earthquake and lava flow, occurred in the summer of 1840. The event destroyed the village of Akhuri—believed by legend to have been founded by Noah himself—as well as the ancient monastery of St. James.
The debate over the Ark’s final resting place, as referenced in the Bible, continues unabated. Some versions mention the “Mountains of Ararat,” while others specifically cite Masis. However, the exact geographical designation of modern-day Ararat is not explicitly mentioned in the sacred texts.
Many scholars suggest that the identification of the mountain with Noah’s Ark began beyond Armenia’s borders in the 4th or 5th centuries. By the 11th and 12th centuries, accounts from travelers began to surface, describing remnants of a wooden vessel coated in bitumen.
During the Middle Ages, few dared to seek out the Ark, fearing that its discovery might trigger the prophesied end of days. It was also believed that the souls of the departed guarded Masis, and angels hovered over the mountain to prevent intrusion upon the sacred relic.
Among the earliest to attempt a search was Hakob Mtsbnetsi. During a rest stop, angels reportedly appeared to him in a dream and gifted him a small, cross-shaped fragment of the Ark. From the place where he lay, a spring emerged—later named Hakob’s Spring. In the 4th century, the Monastery of St. Hakob (St. James) was founded on the northeastern slope in the vicinity of Akhuri.
In the late 19th century, a man named D. Joseph, known for his dubious claims and self-bestowed titles, declared that he had located the remains of the Ark and even secured funding for excavations. However, Turkish authorities refused to grant him permission to export the artifacts to Chicago. Joseph’s contemporaries dismissed his assertions as nothing more than another of his infamous hoaxes.
According to various sources, the outline of an enormous ship was sighted by pilots flying over the mountain during both World Wars. One pre-revolutionary expedition reportedly found and photographed the Ark, but all records and images mysteriously vanished. In the mid-20th century, several attempts were made to present wooden fragments as pieces of the Ark, yet none matched the estimated age of the Great Flood.
Speculation persists around the so-called “Ararat anomaly”—a curious formation that intermittently appears and vanishes in satellite imagery. Explorations continue to this day.
Ironically, the mountain long revered as a symbol of Armenia now stands within Turkish territory. In the early days of Soviet rule, Turkey raised objections to the depiction of Ararat’s dual peaks on the coat of arms of the Armenian SSR. A resourceful Soviet diplomat retorted that the crescent moon on the Turkish flag wasn’t owned by any particular nation either—and the issue was never brought up again.
Though the land historically belonged to the Armenian people, it changed hands numerous times. Under the Treaty of Kars—signed in September 1922 between the Transcaucasian Soviet republics and the Ottoman Empire—Mount Ararat was ceded to Turkey. Since the treaty contained no specified expiration, post-Soviet Armenia refuses to recognize its legitimacy.
Today, Mount Ararat lies within the Ağrı Dağı Milli Parkı, a Turkish national reserve in the eastern province of Iğdır, near the borders of Armenia, Iran, and a small segment of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave.
Each year, thousands of tourists and independent adventurers make pilgrimages to Mount Ararat. The snow-capped summit is not always visible, often veiled in clouds or mist. But when the skies clear, the mountain reveals its full grandeur—its white peak gleaming under the sun’s golden rays against a backdrop of crystalline blue.
The surrounding meadows burst into bloom from spring through late autumn, changing hue and density with the seasons. This spectacle, paired with the mountain’s majestic presence, is unforgettable.
Travelers often remark that Ararat is more striking when viewed from the Armenian side. It is as though the sacred mountain reserves its most regal face for the Armenian people. While approaching its slopes directly from Turkey is difficult, the distance from the border to the mountain’s base is less than 30 kilometers.
For those not planning to climb Ararat, the best way to witness its magnificence is from afar. Tours from Yerevan to the border region are regularly organized, and independent visits are also possible. One of the most breathtaking vantage points is from the Khor Virap Monastery, where Ararat rises in all its divine splendor—a silent, eternal witness to the myths and memories of mankind.
