Ararat Mountain (Agri Dagi)

The name Ağrı in Turkish is derived from Agir in Kurdish meaning fire referring to Ararat being a volcano. An elevation of 5,165 m for Mount Ararat is given by some authorities, but others, give 5,137 m (16,854 ft).

Technically, Ararat is a stratovolcano, formed of lava flows and pyroclastic ejecta. A smaller (3,896 m) cone, "Little Ararat", rises from the same base, southeast of the main peak. The lava plateau stretches out between the two pinnacles. The last activity on the mountain was a major earthquake in July 1840 centered around the Ahora Gorge, a northeast trending chasm that drops 1,825 metres (6,000 ft) from the top of the mountain.

Dr. Friedrich Parrot, with the help of Khachatur Abovian, was the first explorer in modern times to reach the summit of Mount Ararat, with the onset of Russian rule in 1829. He was followed in 1856 by a group of five explorers led by Major Robert Stuart.

Climbing Mount Ararat

In the summer, the weather in the area and on Mount Ararat is sunny, warm and dry. However, in the winter and spring, cold and harsh conditions prevail, and mountain climbers occasionally face blizzards and turbulent weather. July, August, and September are the months when most world mountain climbers come to this area. Climbing up Mt Ararat is most enjoyable during this period. However, despite the usual sunny and clear weather at that time of year, high altitude mountain weather swirls around above 3000 meters. The southern side of the mountain offers the easiest and safest climb to the summit. With this route one has access to the best route communication and transportation facilities and it is safe. It is not recommended to climb Mount Ararat alone and without a guide.

The climb is long, but there is a fairly easy route from the South in late summer for climbers who are familiar with the use of axe and crampons. There are two possible campsites on the mountain, and the glacier begins around 4,800 meters. For non-Turkish nationals special permission is required to climb Mt Ararat. It may take up to 2 months to get the permissions.

Dogubeyazit

Elevation 1625 m. Area 2.383 km². Population (2002) 115.754 (up from 73.794 in 1980) of which 56.261 live in the town of Dogubeyazit, the remainder in the surrounding countryside.

The town of Dogubeyazit is a settlement with a long history. It lies 15km southwest of Mount Ararat, 93km east of the city of Ağrı and 35km from the Iranian border. The town stands on a plain surrounded by some of Turkey’s highest peaks including: Ararat (5,137m) Little Ararat (3,896m) Kaletepe (3,196m) Arıdağı (2,934m) Tendürek Dağı (3,533m) and Göllertepe (2,643m).

The weather on the plain is hot and dry in summer, cold and dry in winter.

History

The area has had a rich history since it was settled during the times of the Kingdom of Urartu (over 2700 years ago). It was subsequently conquered by Persians, Romans, Arabs, and Byzantines all of whom would have used the plain to rest and recoup during their passages across the mountains. Turkish peoples arrived in 1064, but were soon followed by the Mongols and further waves of Turks. The castle of Beyazit was built and rebuilt many times throughout this history, although it is named after the Turkish warlord Celayırlı Şehzade Bayazıt Han who ordered one of the rebuildings (in 1374). Ultimately, the town was renamed Beyazit itself.

After its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in 1514 the area was ruled by Turkish generals, later including İshakpaşa, who built the palace that still bears his name.

The town saw fighting in the Turko-Persian War of 1821-1822, was attacked by Russia in 1856, and taken by the Russians during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. When the Russians retreated many of the Armenian population left with them to build New Beyazit (now Gavar at Armenia) on the shore of Gokcegol. Dogubeyazit was further ravaged during World War I, the Armenian Genocide, and the Turkish War of Independence and a newer city was built in the 1930s (hence the new Turkish name "Dogubeyazit" which literally means "East Beyazıt").

Dogubeyazit Today

Today Dogubeyazit is a small town with a predominantly Kurdish population  serving an impoverished rural area on a high altitude, dry plain. There is high meadow for grazing on the sides of these mountains while the plain is used for grazing and for growing grains and grasses, mainly as winter foodstuff for livestock. The mountainsides are however insufficiently forested. Life on the mountainside is hard, with people living in mud-houses. Apparently in the past rice was grown here and the land has potential for more fruitful agriculture than is practiced today.Dogubeyazit attracts visitors to Mount Ararat, who usually stop to see Ishak Pasha Palace and other historical monuments, and others crossing the border to Iran. The economy of the town is boosted by providing food and accommodation (and nowadays internet cafes) for these travellers (some of it very close to the mountain) and in the market in Dogubeyazit there is a small trade in cheap manufactured goods from Iran and beyond. There is also a strong military presence on the border which also benefits the shops, cafes, billiard halls and restaurants of Dogubeyazit.

Ishak Pasha Palace

Ishak Pasha Palace which was built on a hill at the side of a mountain 5 km. east of Dogubeyazit District is the last large monumental structure of the Ottoman Empire in the "Lale Devri" Period. Ishak Pasha Palace is one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of the 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. According to the top of the door inscription at the Harem Section it was constructed in 1784 (1199 H.) according to the Islamic calendar.

As the ground building sits on is a valley slope, it is rocky and hard. Despite the fact that it is at the center of the Old Beyazıt city its three sides (north, west, south) are steep and sloped. There is a suitable flat area only to the east. The entrance of Ishak Pasha Palace is on that side, and it is also its narrowest façade.

As Ishak Pasha Palace was built in an age when castles ceased to be special and firearms were developed and were abundantly available, its defense towards the hills on the east is weak. Its main gate is the weakest point in that respect. The structure of the main gate is no different than those seen in the palaces built in İstanbul and elsewhere in Anatolia and has a neat stone workmanship and carving. 

Inner court.Today we have very few examples of the historical Turkish palaces still surviving. One of these is the İshak Pasha Palace and complex.

The palace was built in 1685 by Ishak Pasha II and Colak Abdi Pasha. According to the inscription on its door, the Harem Section the palace was built in 1784. The complex consists of following sections:

Exterior façades

First and second courts

The men’s quarter (selamlık)

The mosque

The soup kitchen (Darüzziyafe)

Bath

Harem Section

Hall for ceremonies and entertaintment

Arch gates

Panteries and ammunition room

The mausoleum

The bakery

Dungeons

The characteristic property of Ishak Pasha Palace is its combined Ottoman, Persian, and Seljuk architectural style.