Mount Sukavet

Mount Sukavet is a volcanic mountain which rises on the Alashkert valley. It’s a con shaped mountain with the height of 3445 m. Since ancient times it has been a sacred mountain for the people of Alashkert. Is the highest point of Jrabashkh mountains. Many geographers have presented Haykakan Par mountain range differently, and it is very difficult to tell whether mount Sukavet is the highest point of Haykakan Par mountain range or not. If mount Ararat is a part of Haykakan Par mountain range, then the highest point is mount Ararat (5165), but if not then mount Sukavet is considered to be the highest point of Haykakan Par mountain range.

Mount Sukavet from Khastur village

Haykakan Par mountain range is located in central and eastern parts of Taurus. In the past it was famous for its three peaks – Aytsptkunq, Sukavet and Bardogh. From the Derjan plateau to Araks river stretches Aytsptkunq mountain range with homonymous mountain peak (3124 m). In the central part there are Sukavet mountains with the homonymous mountain peak (3445 m). The mountainside has a volcanic origin. To the east of Jrabashkh there are Bardogh mountains with the homonymous peak (2562 m).

The slopes of the mountain are very steep. The left tributaries of the Sharian River flows from the slope of the mountain. The territory is covered with mountain steppe. There are alpine meadows near the top of the mountain.

Mountain has got different names in different periods of time. It was called Sukav, Suqavet, Sukias, Jrabashkh, Qyosedagh and so on.

Mount Sukavet

Legend about Mount Sukavet and Aladagh

People tell one love story about two peaks of Haykakan Par mountain range mount Sukavet and mount Aladagh. Sukavet was a handsome Armenian shepherd and Aladagh was a beautiful Kurdish girl. These two met in the mountains and fell in love with each other. Sukavet was the son of a priest of Chankli village, while Aladagh was the daughter of the sheikh of Mandur village. It was obvious that the parents of the lovers should be against their union. Going against their parents’ will the lovers ran away and hid in a remote place. When parents learned about that they ] have cursed their children and the letter turned into mountains. The boy in the center of Haykakan Par mountain range, and the girl between the Vanand and Basen provinces. The mountains are far away from each other. The tears froze on the faces of two mountains and turned into snow. But every dawn of the Feast of Ascension Sukavet and Aladagh mountains meet near the Chankli village, hug each other and after split up in tears.

Every year on the day of Feast of Ascension many Armenian and Kurdish young people make a pilgrimage to the Mount Aladagh. They light candles and sing Armenian and Kurdish love songs there.