Turkish ridges. Mountains in Kemer, Türkiye. Mountains and the future

Peak lovers often ask seasoned travelers and experienced skiers what mountains in Turkey It’s definitely worth visiting, in which part of the country your vacation promises to be as comfortable and high-quality as possible. Today, the Republic of Turkey has many mountain ranges that require attention.

deeply dissected and devoid of vegetation, and green-colored mountain ranges stretch along the Black Sea coast.

Türkiye is located on two continents at once. This country is rich in mountains, plateaus, lakes and rivers flowing from the peaks. Almost all of Türkiye is occupied by the Asia Minor Plateau, which includes the Taurus and Pontic Mountains. Taurus extends along the Mediterranean coast.

These mountain ranges were formed a very long time ago, at the same time as the Alps, that is, about 65 million years ago. The Western Taurus arcs around Antalya. Between the ridges there are groups of fresh and salt lakes, thanks to which this region was called the “Turkish Land of Lakes”.

Central Taurus has a low altitude and an alpine type of relief. The height of the ridges in this place reaches 3,000 meters.

North-Eastern Taurus is the Binbog ridges and Mount Takhtali. Eastern Taurus - the distance from the Murat River and Lake Van to the eastern borders of Turkey.

Mount Ararat on the Turkish side is very close to the Armenian border and is the real pride of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The most famous mountains of Turkey

Which is the highest point in the country. Historically, the hill belonged to the Armenians, but as a result of the war it passed into the possession of the Turkish Republic. Despite this, even today the mountain is depicted on the coat of arms of Armenia.

According to scientists, Ararat erupted a long time ago, in the 3rd millennium BC. However, some sources indicate that this event also took place in the 19th century, when the village of Arguri and the monastery of St. Jacob were destroyed. But the eruption itself occurred without the release of lava. However, since then there have been no settlements on the mountain.

Today, the highest mountain in Turkey, Ararat, is separated from Armenia by a distance of 32 km. From Yerevan and other Armenian cities there is a magnificent view of the hill.

The height of Greater Ararat is 5165 meters above sea level.

According to the Bible, it was Ararat that once became the refuge of Noah’s Ark. If you look closely at the coat of arms of Armenia, you can see its image. There is a legend that says that the ark is still on the mountain today.

In 1916, a Russian lieutenant discovered an ark frozen in ice. They carefully measured it and took photographs of every part of it. However, after some time, all this evidence was lost.

In 1974, Americans photographed the mountain from above and discovered an object resembling an ark on its top. However, today the version of his presence on Ararat is considered half mythical. Moreover, in 1959, not far from the mountain, an ark was discovered, which, according to the description, completely matches the biblical one, and many took it for the real one.

Mount Tahtali, or Olympos, is the hallmark of Kemer and is part of the Western Taurus. The height of the mountain is 2,365 above sea level. It is beautifully visible from the sea and from anywhere in Kemer. The lower part of the mountain is covered with greenery, and closer to the top it disappears. From January to April, the slopes are covered with snow, which in spring is often colored red due to the winds blowing from the Sahara, bringing sand.

Tahtali is considered a romantic mountain; many legends are associated with it. According to one of them, not far from the hill, the Chimera once lived - a monster with the body of a goat, the head of a lion and the tail of a snake.

By the way, the name Kemer comes from this legend about the Chimera.

Bellerophon, the hero of Homer's Iliad, threw the monster from the mountain, but it did not die, but remained to live inside it, from time to time spewing tongues of flame from under the ground. This is how the ancient inhabitants explained the eruptions that occur due to the accumulating natural gas.

In 2007, a 4,350-meter long cable car was built to the top of the mountain. It became one of the longest in Europe. In a 10-minute journey, tourists in cabins with a capacity of 80 people can enjoy all the beauties of this region, amazing views of the sea, vegetation, gorge and mountains.

The excursion route is called “From Sea to Sky”.

Mount Nemrut is a symbol of the Hellenistic period. In the first century BC, the tomb of Antiochus I Epiphanes was built here at an altitude of 2,150 meters above sea level. This monument illustrates the succession of kings in the dynasty.

Tourists recommend visiting Nemrut from May to September, when the weather is most favorable in the Taurus mountain ranges. In summer you can watch the sunrise on Nemrut, but even at this time it is not so warm. Therefore, if you are planning to spend the night on the mountain, you should stock up on warm clothes.

Mount Nemrut has a rich history, and the most unusual thing about it is the stone heads, which are one of the most popular attractions in the country.

Once upon a time, King Antiochus I created his own religion and appropriated to himself the “title” of God. They planned to build a religious center on Nemrut, but the work was not completed. At the top there is a large burial ground of the former king.

The mysterious heads have already lost their former appearance. Today they, who fell from their shoulders after the earthquake, stand next to their bodies.

Another thing that attracts tourists to Türkiye is the salt mountains located near the city of Denzili. They are also known as Pamukalle and are considered the eighth wonder of the world.

According to local residents, a visit to the country should begin with the salt mountains.

These are hills in the form of white terraces, bordered by stalactites. The place is not only amazingly beautiful, but also one of the most healing in the world. The healing waters of the salt mountains can cope with diseases of the digestive tract, hypertension, cardiovascular system, rheumatism and other ailments.

It is the mountainous terrain that dominates the entire space of this beautiful country. There are 3 main mountain systems spread across Turkey.

In the north are the Pontic Mountains. Otherwise they are called the Black Sea Mountains. This stretches for 1000 kilometers along the entire Black Sea coast. It consists of several parallel ridges with valleys between them. The height of these mountains increases from west to east, from 2000 meters to 3500 meters. The highest point of the Pontic Mountains is the peak of Kachkar, 3931 meters high. In the north of Turkey they descend steeply to the sea, sometimes leaving no coastal strip. In the east, this system is difficult to navigate, featuring steep slopes, ridges and no valleys. The Pontic Mountains are deposits of natural resources. It is there, in Turkey, that the development and mining of copper ores, polymetals, crystalline slate, and granite are carried out. The southern slopes of the Pontic Mountains are covered with thorny bushes and mixed forests, and the northern part is entirely overgrown with oak forests, beech forests, and coniferous thickets. All foothill plains are densely populated.

In the south of Turkey there is the Toros or Taurus mountain system. These mountain ranges stretch along the entire southern coast of the country. Due to different climatic and geophysical features, this system is divided into 3 parts: Western, Eastern and Central Taurus. The highest peak of the entire Toros system is Demirkazik, 3806 meters high. All the Taurus mountain ranges are lined with rivers flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. On the territory of the Western Taurus there is a group of lakes, some of them freshwater. The vegetation on the Taurus is sparse. In humid places, the mountains are covered with pine forests; in dry areas, the vegetation is represented by barberry bushes and thorny plants. The hummocks are of interest to climbers; it is this mountain system that receives tourists for ski holidays in winter.

The western part of the country is the Armenian Highlands. There, mountain ranges are combined with deep depressions and basins. And the mountains themselves are a characteristic mountain range of individual peaks and long chains. This is the most inaccessible and impassable region of Turkey. The most famous peak is Mount Great Ararat. Its height is 5165 meters. This snowy and harsh peak is visible from afar for many tens of kilometers. The top of the mountain is covered with a shell of ice and snow. The Araks River carries its fast waters from the mountain peaks of Ararat. Once upon a time, the peak of Greater Ararat was considered the top of the world. It was here, according to legend, that Noah's Ark landed, and the tablets with the Old Testament were found there. Only experienced climbers conquer this mountain.

In the West there is a small mountain plateau. Anatolia is not distinguished by high ranges, and the mountains have the character of small massifs. Anatolia is a series of drainless basins, among which low-mountain ridges are located like islands. The capital of Turkey, Ankara, is located on one of the plateaus of Anatolia. It is on the territory of the Anatolian Mountains that the second largest lake in the country, Van, is located.

Mountains and the future

So Turkey is not only an international beach resort, it is a large one, with its own characteristics and capabilities, which are partially hidden under the mountain ranges. Ski tourism is developing more and more in Turkey. Various deposits of the country's natural resources are being developed.

If you look closely at the geographical map of Turkey, it becomes clear that in addition to the beautiful sea coast, there are many mountains. The country is surrounded by mountains and forests on all sides. There are many wonderful nature reserves with rich flora and fauna.

Major mountain peaks

For climbers, Türkiye offers a large field for training and research: glaciers, volcanoes, karsts. And if we talk about the most important peaks, then mountain hikes in Turkey should be done:

In the east is Mount Agri;
in the central part is Mount Erciyes.

Both mountains are inactive volcanoes.

In the eastern Black Sea region - Mount Kachkar;
in eastern Taurus there are the Kilo-Sat Mountains.

Mount Agri

This is the highest point in Turkey, 5137 m. The second name is Mount Ararat. The mountain is covered with snow and ice all year round. The best season for climbers is July, August, September. This time is the most favorable for climbing the mountain, as the weather is sunny and dry. The most convenient and safest for climbing is the southern side of the mountain. The nature at the foot and at the top of the mountain is amazingly beautiful. Among the local attractions: the Ishak Pasha Palace, a meteorite crater near the border with Iran, as well as the village of Ortulu, as a center of folk arts and crafts.

The ridge is located in the southeast of Hakkari province. The highest peak is Uludoruk, 4136. In its appearance and topography, the mountains are very similar to the Alps, and are influenced by glacial formations. The largest glacier is Izbirak, 5 km long and 500-600 m wide. The mountain valleys are covered with alpine meadows. It is very beautiful to watch glaciers, rushing mountain rivers and extraordinary glacial lakes.

Mount Kachkar is part of the Anatolian mountain range. The main peak is Kavron, 3922 m high. The mountains are quite folded and uneven, and are distinguished by their difficulty in climbing.

The climate in the mountains is subtropical with moderate rainy weather. Average temperature + 14 degrees. Thanks to frequent rains, a wide variety of plants grow on the northern slopes of the mountain. At an altitude of 500 m above sea level, you can see tea plantations and citrus plantations. A little higher, at an altitude of 750 m above sea level, chestnut, hornbeam, and beech grow, and at an altitude of 1500 m, the only trees are pine trees. Everything above 2000 m above sea level is covered with alpine meadows with grassy vegetation. Grapes and fruits are grown on the southern slopes of Kachkar.

Mount Erciyes

The mountain is one of the main centers of mountaineering in Turkey, and is better known as the highest volcano in Central Anatolia. The peak of Erciyes, 3917 m high, is always covered with snow and ice. As on Mount Kachkar, fruits and grapes are grown here, and the heights are covered with alpine vegetation. Climbers choose the northwestern or southern slopes for climbing. The best time for mountaineering is summer and early autumn. This area is interesting to tourists primarily for its beautiful landscapes on the rocks, underground cities, and extraordinary frescoes in stone churches located in neighboring Cappadocia.

Türkiye also boasts other mountain peaks:

Mount Nemrut, 3050 m: inactive volcano;

Mount Sufan, 4058 m: a huge dormant volcano that rises on the northwestern shore of Lake Van;

Beydağları Mountains;
Bolkar Mountains, 3524m;

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Books

• Mountain, Rabindranath Tagore. Moscow, 1956. State publishing house of fiction GOSLITIZDAT. Publisher's binding. The condition is good. Rabindranath Tagore is the greatest Indian writer and poet...

• Eastern Taurus
  Mountains in central southern Turkey. The total length from Lake Egirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates River in the east is 600 km. The maximum height is 3090 m. It is composed of limestones, the landscape is karst with numerous waterfalls, caves and underground rivers.
• Western Taurus
  A mountain system in Turkey that arcs around the Gulf of Antalya. Quite high mountain ranges (Beydaglar - up to 3086 m, Elmaly - up to 3073 m) are separated by deep valleys and cut by canyons. Between the ridges of the Western Taurus in its northern part there are groups of lakes, which gave this area the name “Turkish country of lakes”. There are fresh lakes - Beyşehir, Egirdir, Sugla; salt lakes – Adzhigol and Aksehir.
• Taurus
  These are the southern coastal mountains in what is now Turkey. The Taurus Mountains stretch along the Turkish Mediterranean coast from the Aegean Sea to the upper reaches of the Euphrates River. They form a continuous series of forested mountain ranges intersected by numerous river valleys. On the southern side these mountains descend in short cliffs and suddenly steeply and almost vertically to the sea, only occasionally, as, for example, in the areas of Tarsus and Adalia, leaving space for narrow coastal valleys, and on the northern side they gradually almost merge with the internal flat hills. In the eastern part of Cilicia, their peaks reach heights from 3000 to 3500 m, and further to the west - from 2000 to 3000 m.
• Central Taurus
  A ridge from the Taurus Mountains system in Turkey. The Central Taurus is the highest (the height of many ridges here exceeds 3000 m) among all the Taurus Mountains. It has an alpine type of relief. Some of the high ridges of the Central Taurus are the Aladaglar ridge (north of the city of Adana) with the Demirkazik peak (3806 m) and the Bolkar ridge (north of the city of Mersin) with the Metdesis peak (3524 m). Central Taurus faces directly to the Mediterranean Sea in the west and southwest.
• Egridir
  Lake in Turkey. The lake lies in the Taurus Mountains in southwestern Turkey, 186 km from Antalya. Area 482 km². It is the fourth largest (second freshwater) lake in Turkey.
• Agrydag
  Mountain range in the middle part of the Armenian Highlands. It is located in the east of Turkey, north of Lake Van, the length of the ridge is 200 km, the height is up to 3445 m. It is formed by a chain of volcanoes that arose along large faults. Part of the watershed between the basins of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf runs along the ridge.
• Aladaglar
  This is the highest ridge of the Taurus (southern Turkey), four of its peaks exceed 3700 and many peaks exceed 3500 m. The Mediterranean climate of the coastal mountain slopes is characterized by hot, cloudless summers and rainy winters. The name Aladaglar means “variegated mountains” in Turkish.
• Alajadağ
  The Karadag spur, located on the territory of the Asian part of Turkey, fills with its branches the southern part of the Kara region (Kars Plateau). These hills and the surrounding area are open and do not obstruct views over vast distances, which predetermined the important strategic function of owning the ridge and its Alajadag peak.
• Armenian Highlands
  Mountain region in the north of Western Asia. The middle of the three Western Asian highlands. In the west, without sharp boundaries, it passes into the Asia Minor Plateau, in the east it adjoins the Iranian Plateau.
• Arsian ridge
  A mountain range in the northwestern frame of the Armenian Highlands (Lesser Caucasus system), located in southern and eastern Turkey. The northern part of the ridge, entering Georgia, borders the upper reaches of the Adzharistskali River on the east and adjoins the western tip of the Lesser Caucasus. The southwestern end of the ridge lies at the confluence of the Oltu and Chorukha rivers.
• Beshparmak
  Mountain range in Turkey, in the Mugla province. Located in the historical region of Karia.
• Greater Ararat
  Stratovolcano located in Turkey, on the Armenian Highlands. The height of the mountain above sea level is 5165 meters, the distance of the mountain from the foot to the top is 4365 meters. The neighboring mountain Small Ararat is located 11 kilometers from Greater Ararat. Together they make up Mount Ararat, which has two peaks.
• Kachkar
  The highest peak in the eastern extremity of the Pontic range, the height is 3,937 m. At its peak, in protected places, snow remains all year round. The mountain can be climbed on its northeastern slope along a route starting from the village of Yukari Kerwun.
• Kurdish mountains
  Mountains in Eastern Turkey south of Lake Van, continue into and. Height up to 4,000 meters. The place of industrial mining and for the last half century it has been the scene of confrontation between Kurdish militants and official Ankara over the independence of Kurdistan.
• Lazistan ridge
  A mountain range in the eastern Pontic Mountains, rising along the southeastern coast of the Black Sea in northeastern Turkey in the historical region of Lazistan near the border with Georgia. The highest peaks are Kachkar (3937 m) and Karchal (3428 m).
• Asia Minor Plateau
  A highland that occupies most of the Asia Minor peninsula. The Cenozoic folded structures of the region continue the structures of the Balkan Peninsula.
• Little Ararat
  Stratovolcano located in Turkey, on the Armenian Highlands. The height of the mountain above sea level is 3927 meters. The neighboring mountain Greater Ararat is located 11 kilometers from Little Ararat. Together they make up Mount Ararat, which has two peaks.
• Small Olympus
  The most significant mountain peak of the Uludag ridge, as well as the entire western part of the Asia Minor Peninsula. Height 2,543 m.
• Musa Dag
  A mountain in southern Turkey, the surrounding area became a site of resistance by the Armenian population during the Armenian genocide in 1915. The mountain is located on the outskirts of historical Cilician Armenia, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 21 km north of the city of Antakya.
• Nur
  A mountain range on the southeastern border of Cilician Armenia (now part of southern Turkey). The mountains extend from the outskirts of the city of Marash to the southwest towards the Mediterranean Sea, being a natural border between the following regions of Cilician Armenia.
• Pontic Mountains
  A mountain system in northern Turkey, stretching along the southern coast of the Black Sea, from the mouths of the Yesilirmak River to the mouths of the Chorokh River and even a little further to the peak of Karchal (3428 meters), which can be considered its eastern extremity.
• Samanly
  A low mountain range in the western part of the Asia Minor Peninsula (Türkiye). It begins at Cape Bozburun, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Marmara, and then along the Boz Peninsula goes horizontally east to the city of Geive, located in the valley of the river. Sakarya.
• Strandzha
  Mountains in Turkey and Bulgaria. Located in the east of the historical region of Thrace. The area of ​​the mountain range is about 10,000 square kilometers. The highest point is Mount Golyama Mahiada or Mahiada, 1030 meters high, located in Turkey. The highest point of Strandzha in Bulgaria is Mount Golyamo Gradishte (710 m).
• Takhtalydag
  A mountain near Kemer in the Western Taurus mountain system. The height above sea level is 2365 m. The name Tahtali means “plank”, “with boards” in Turkish. It is the highest mountain in the Olympos-Beydağları Park. From November to June the mountain is covered with ice and snow.
• Tendyurek
  Shield stratovolcano 50 km southwest of Greater Ararat on the border of the Agra and Van silts. Height 3533 m. There are three summit craters on the shield: Tendyurek, Tseheniem Tepe and Gulizar Tepe. The last eruption was in 1855.
• Uludag
  A mid-altitude mountain range in the western part of the Asia Minor Peninsula (Türkiye). It stretches from northwest to southeast. The length is about 80 km. Maksim. the height reaches 2543 m.
• Acıgol-Nevşehir
  Caldera, which is located on the Anatolian plateau, in the province of Nevsehir, Türkiye. The highest point of the caldera is the Kogadag Tepe dome, reaching a height of 1689 m. The caldera consists of maars, solidified lava flows consisting of basalts, volcanic domes and cinder cones. The area is crossed by the highway between the cities of Adzhigol and Nevsehir.
• Ararat
  The highest volcanic massif of the Armenian Highlands in eastern Turkey; belongs to stratovolcanoes. It is located in the Turkish silt of Ygdir on the right bank of the middle reaches of the Araks River, 16 kilometers from the border with Iran, 32 kilometers from the border with Armenia. It consists of two cones of extinct volcanoes merging at their bases: Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. The summit of Greater Ararat (5165 meters above sea level) is the highest point in Turkey.
• Göllu-Dag
  Volcanic dome located 32 km north of the city of Nigde, Türkiye. The dome is composed of dacites and rhyodacites. Reaches a height of 2143 m. It is located between the Hasan-Dagi and Adzhigol-Nevsehir volcanoes. As a result of the analysis of obsidian rocks, the emergence of the volcano occurred between 1.33 and 0.844 million years ago.
• Girekol-tepe
  Shield volcano located in the Eastern Anatolia region of eastern Turkey. Located north of Lake Van. The volcano began to form during the Pleistocene era. Volcanic activity ceased in the Holocene. Volcanic soils consist of solidified calc-alkaline magma. No volcanic activity has been recorded in historical times.
• Nemrut-Dag
  A still active stratovolcano located in eastern Turkey, in close proximity to Lake Van. The most powerful eruptions of Nemrut Dag occurred in the Pleistocene era, subsequently many smaller eruptions occurred in the Holocene, the last of which in 1692. The top of the volcano is a large caldera in which a lake has formed.
• Suphan
  An extinct stratovolcano located in eastern Turkey, in close proximity to Lake Van. According to scientists, the last volcanic eruption occurred about 100 thousand years ago. Süphan reaches a height of 4434 m above sea level and is the second largest (after Ararat) volcano in Turkey and in the entire Armenian Highlands. It is located in the collision zone of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which determines the seismic and volcanic activity of the region.
• Khasandag
  An extinct stratovolcano in the Aksaray mud, Türkiye. The height of the mountain is 3253 meters, it ranks second among the highest peaks in central Anatolia. It has a 4–5 km wide caldera that dates back to 7500 BC. The last eruption occurred approximately 6200 BC.
• Erciyes
  Large stratovolcano 25 kilometers south of