ARARAT AĞRI
Agri
- Ararat-
Bubi Mountain
This ski resort is on the mountain of Bubi, in Eastern Anatolia, 18km south-west
of the centre of Agri.
Arrival: There are flights from Ankara and Istanbul, and transport from Agri to the resort is only by private vehicles.
Geography: The ski season runs between December to
April. The area has a terrestrial climate, and the resort is covered
with alpine meadows, which is covered with 1-2m of snow
in the winter.
Facilities: There is a ski lodge belonging to the Agri City Directorate, and a café. There is a T-bar and chair-lift.
Mosque and Church
Ishak
Pasa Palace Mosque (Dogubeyazit): The place, constructed on a hill at Beyazit
by
Hasan Pasa's son Ishak Pasa who became grand vizier
in 1789 , is complying with Ottoman’s palace organization with
its rooms and halls, which are reaching the number of 360. It is said
that the construction of the palace,760 square meters area, took 99 years.
On the architecture of the building collected around two courtyards within
each other and "U" shape (mosque - harem chambers - food aid chambers - hamam, reception room - ceremonial and
amusement room - mausoleum etc.) perfect masonry, and on its engravements and wall adornments Persian,
Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations’ mutual impacts can be seen.
Ishak
Pasa Mosque is,within the second courtyard of the palace, between harem and
reception rooms. Body walls are two times higher than the palace. Mosque,
dome and minaret is overlooking to all of the palace. Its huge portals
with sharp arches and turbans reminds of Seljuk architecture rather than
that of Ottomans. Big plastic naturalist plant adornments on the rock
are showing the impacts of Caucus alien on Turkish art.
Square planned minaret, fully constructed with Turkish style have a monumental appearance on its own. Octagonal monument, constructed adjacent to external walls, at kible (the direction of Mecca) side of the mosque, has two layers complying with Seljuk monument architecture tradition. Window corners and some surfaces of the mosque and the monuments externally fully made up of cut rock (including dome) and are decorated with Rococo style embroideries that figure out trees and flowers.
Mount Agri: Turkey’s highest mountain, Agri (5165 m.) had drawn attention of scientists, mountaineers and wanderers and subjected to various stories, türkü (folk songs) and myths.
According to a widespread belief mentioned in the Holy
Bible and the
Pentateuch, an evil covered the world during The
Prophet Noah. With the
aim of rebuking human beings, God ordered Noah to construct a ship. Prophet
Noah, his spouse, his sons, and one apiece from all creatures in the
world will be on board of the ship. Prophet Noah, had constructed the
ship in parallel to the order of the God and filled the ship with the
creatures.All creatures on the ship had been vanished as a result of
the flood. After the flood had come to an end, the ship grounded on Mount
Agri, and creatures within it left the ship and spread all around of
the world.
The mountain, which is very special in terms of religion due to this
religious tale, is very impressive with its majestic appearance,height,
its snowy peaks even during summer months,fauna and flora.