The Azat () is a river in the
Kotayk Province
Kotayk (, ), is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located at the central part of the country. Its capital is Hrazdan and the largest city is Abovyan. It is named after the Kotayk c ...
of
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
. Its source is on the western slope of the
Geghama mountains
The Gegham mountains (or Gegham Ridge; ) are a mountain range , range of mountains in Armenia. The range is a Table (landform), tableland-type watershed basin of Sevan Lake from east, inflows of rivers Araks River, Araks and Hrazdan River, Hrazda ...
. It flows through
Garni
Garni (), is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is known for the nearby Garni Temple, classical temple. As of the 2011 census, the population of the village is 6,910.
History
The settlement is best known for the Hellenistic ...
,
Lanjazat and
Arevshat, before reaching the
Aras near
Artashat. The main purpose of the Azat dam irrigation and hydro power generation. Its hazard potential is ranked to be high.
The Azat is known in Armenia for its beauty. It flows for 55 kilometers and has a basin that occupies 572 square kilometers. The Azat passes through the
Khosrov State Reserve. In its lower reaches, the river flows into the Ararat valley. The Azat is known for its numerous spectacular waterfalls and its rock choked riverbed.
Upper Azat Valley was listed to
UNESCO world heritage site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
in 2000 with
Geghard Monastery.
Symphony of Stones
One section of the Azat, where it meets River Goght, is particularly fascinating. It passes through the Canyon of Garni composed of regular hexagonal prisms, with a formation so unique it almost looks artificial. Near its end, the gorge's formation has prompted the name "
Symphony of Stones".
Gallery
Image:Ազատի ջրամբար ու կղզիներ.JPG, Azat Reservoir
Image:Garni Canyon, Azat River Valley, Armenia.jpg, Azat river at Garni
Garni (), is a major village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is known for the nearby Garni Temple, classical temple. As of the 2011 census, the population of the village is 6,910.
History
The settlement is best known for the Hellenistic ...
Image:Río Azat, valle de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 27-29 HDR.jpg
Image:Azat(River) Bridge.jpg, The Azat River passing under an old style bridge
Image:Azat river at Geghard - panoramio.jpg, Azat river at Geghard
Geghard (, meaning "spear") is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status.
Wh ...
Image:AZAT RIVER BRIGE 5.JPG
Image:Bridge on Azat river, Garni, Kotayk region (2).jpg, Azat river among the bridge IX century, and Symphony of Stones
See also
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Geography of Armenia
Armenia is a landlocked country in the South Caucasus region of the Caucasus. The country is geographically located in West Asia, within the Armenian plateau.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in West Asia; the CIA World ...
*
List of rivers of Armenia
*
List of lakes of Armenia
This is a list of lakes of Armenia. Lake Sevan, in Gegharkunik Province, is the largest body of water in Armenia and the entire Caucasus region.
Armenia has one very large lake called Lake Sevan and more than 100 small mountain lakes. None of th ...
References
Rivers of Armenia
{{Armenia-river-stub