Mount Aragats
Encyclopedia
Mount Aragats Alagoz - is a large andesitic
-to-dacitic
stratovolcano
in NW Armenia
about 40 km NW of the capital city of Yerevan
. It is the highest point in Armenia
, located in the province of Aragatsotn, northwest from Yerevan. Located on its slopes are the Byurakan Observatory
and the medieval
Amberd Fortress
. The observatory is a historically significant facility responsible for a number of important photographic surveys. Mount Aragats is a popular destination for tourists, especially in summer.
The 4090 m (13,419 ft) high main edifice of Aragats is dissected by glaciers and is of Pliocene
-to-Pleistocene
age. However, parasitic cones and fissures are located on all sides of the volcano and were the source of large lava flows that descended its lower flanks.
Several of these were considered to be of Holocene age, but later Potassium-Argon dating indicated mid- to late-Pleistocene ages. The youngest lower-flank flows have not been precisely dated, but are constrained as occurring between the end of the late-Pleistocene and 3000 BC (Kharakanian et al., 2003). A 13-km-long, WSW-ENE-trending line of craters and pyroclastic cones cuts across the northern crater rim and is the source of young lava flows and lahars; the latter were considered to be characteristic of Holocene summit eruptions.
to its southeast, Aparan
to its northeast, Artik
to its northwest, and Talin
to its southwest. On the other sides of the mountains are villages and towns.
Armenians believe, that the Illuminator’s lantern is still there and only those pure in heart and spirit, can see the eternal lantern – the symbol of hopes and dreams of the nation.
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
-to-dacitic
Dacite
Dacite is an igneous, volcanic rock. It has an aphanitic to porphyritic texture and is intermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. The relative proportions of feldspars and quartz in dacite, and in many other volcanic rocks, are illustrated in the QAPF diagram...
stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
in NW Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
about 40 km NW of the capital city of Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
. It is the highest point in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, located in the province of Aragatsotn, northwest from Yerevan. Located on its slopes are the Byurakan Observatory
Byurakan Observatory
The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, or Byurakan Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Armenian Academy of Sciences. It is located on the slope of Mount Aragats in the village of Byurakan in Armenia.-History:...
and the medieval
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
Amberd Fortress
Amberd
Amberd is the name given to the 7th century Armenian fortress located above sea level, on the slopes of Mount Aragats at the confluence of the Arkashen and Amberd rivers in the province of Aragatsotn, Armenia. The name translates to "fortress in the clouds" in Armenian. It is also the name...
. The observatory is a historically significant facility responsible for a number of important photographic surveys. Mount Aragats is a popular destination for tourists, especially in summer.
The 4090 m (13,419 ft) high main edifice of Aragats is dissected by glaciers and is of Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
-to-Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
age. However, parasitic cones and fissures are located on all sides of the volcano and were the source of large lava flows that descended its lower flanks.
Several of these were considered to be of Holocene age, but later Potassium-Argon dating indicated mid- to late-Pleistocene ages. The youngest lower-flank flows have not been precisely dated, but are constrained as occurring between the end of the late-Pleistocene and 3000 BC (Kharakanian et al., 2003). A 13-km-long, WSW-ENE-trending line of craters and pyroclastic cones cuts across the northern crater rim and is the source of young lava flows and lahars; the latter were considered to be characteristic of Holocene summit eruptions.
Nearby towns
The towns around the mountain include AshtarakAshtarak
Ashtarak is an industrial city in Armenia, on the left bank of Kasagh River along the gorge, approximately 20 km north-west of the capital Yerevan, at a height of 1110 meters above sea level. It is the administrative capital of Aragatsotn province...
to its southeast, Aparan
Aparan
Aparan is a town in Armenia, located in the Aragatsotn province, about 50 kilometers north-north-west of Yerevan...
to its northeast, Artik
Artik
Artik is a city located in the Shirak province of Armenia. It has a population of 14,949 people, down from the 25,100 reported in the 1989 census....
to its northwest, and Talin
Talin
Talin is a town in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia. It has a population of 5,371. The seventh century Talin Cathedral is located in the town.- History :...
to its southwest. On the other sides of the mountains are villages and towns.
Legend of Illuminator's Lantern
Legend holds that when Saint Gregory the Illuminator prayed one day on Mount Aragats, a miraculous ever-burning lantern hanging from the heavens came down to shed light on him.Armenians believe, that the Illuminator’s lantern is still there and only those pure in heart and spirit, can see the eternal lantern – the symbol of hopes and dreams of the nation.