Alborz
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Alborz (in Persian البرز), also written as Alburz or Elburz, is a mountain range in northern Iran, stretching from the borders of Armenia in the north-west to the southern end of the Caspian (Mazandaran) Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The largest mountain in the Middle East, Mount Damavand, is located in the range.
The Alborz mountain range forms a barrier between the south Caspian and the Qazvin-Tehran plateau. It is only 60-130 km wide and consists of sedimentary series dating from Upper Devonian to Oligocene, prevalently jurassic limestone over a granite core.
Alborz enjoys a central role in the historical texts of Iran such as the Shahnama, and also in Persian mythology. Additionally, it is thought to be the dwelling place of the Peshotan, a Messiah like figure awaited by devotees of Zoroastranism.
Also due to its great snowy winters there are several ski resorts that some of them are among the best in the world. Some of most important ones are: Dizin, Shemshak, Tochal, and Darbandsar.
It should not be confused with Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains, which also derives its name from the legendary mountain Harā Bərəzaitī of Persian mythology.
Contents |
[edit] Mounts, summits, and attractions
- Mount Damavand
- Tochal mount and summit
- Tangeh Savashi, A popular attraction
- Alam Kuh
- Alamut
- Dizin
- List of mountains in Iran
Peaks: | 1 `Alam Kūh | |||||
2 Āzād Kūh | 3 Damāvand | |||||
4 Do Berar | 5 Do Khaharan | |||||
6 Ghal`eh Gardan | 7 Kūh-e Gorg | |||||
8 Kholeno | 9 Mehr Chal | |||||
10 Kūh-e Mīšīneh Marg | 11 Naz | |||||
12 Shah Alborz | 13 Sīālān | |||||
14 Tochal | 15 Varavašt | |||||
Rivers: | 0 | |||||
1 Alamūt | 2 Chālūs | |||||
3 Do Hezār | 4 Harāz | |||||
5 Jājrūd | 6 Karaj | |||||
7 Kojūr | 8 Lār | |||||
9 Nūr | 10 Sardāb | |||||
11 Seh Hazār | 12 Shāh Rūd | |||||
Cities: | 1 Āmol | |||||
2 Chālūs | 3 Karaj | |||||
Other: | D Dīzīn | |||||
E Emāmzādeh Hāšem | K Kandovān Tunnel | |||||
* Latīān Dam | ** Lār Dam |
[edit] Noah's Ark in the Alborz mountains?
In June of 2006, a team of religious scholars led by Bob Cornuke of the BASE Institute claimed to have found Noah's Ark in the Alborz mountains.[1][2][3] Expedition members describe a large object of petrified wood. No geologists or archaeologists were included in the expedition.
[edit] Source
- North, S.J.R., Guide to Biblical Iran, Rome 1956, p. 50
[edit] External links
- Maps, Photos and a List of peaks
- Alborz entries in the Encyclopædia Iranica