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Agri information, Turkey

Agri is situated in Eastern Anatolia and extends all the way to the Iranian border. Agri was also formerly called Karakose, and lies about five thousand feet above sea level in the valley of the river Murat, which is a tributary of the Euphrates River. The town is a center of livestock trade is also is a transit station on the main highway from Turkey all the way to Iran. The symbol of this mountainous region is Mount Agri, a snowcapped dormant volcano believed to be the legendary cradle of the second beginning of the world. Mount Agri is known internationally as Mount Ararat. Some warnings say that Mount Ararat is closed or is in a military zone. Locals and mountain guides would dispute that and although Mount Ararat was temporarily closed from trekkers from 1991 to 2001, it has been opened since then.

Myths say Noah’s Ark itself rested on its peak during the big flood, and he set foot at Igdiir, a place below the mountain, when the disaster ended. A hollow in one of the nearby villages takes the form of the ark, spurning this belief which has persisted until this day. Besides offering spectacular scenery, Mount Agri also provides a cool resting place, a hot tourist spot and an ideal place for sporting activities such as hunting, mountaineering, climbing and skiing. On November 2004, Mount Agri or Mount Ararat became the 3th National Park of Turkey.

About a hundred kilometers east of Agri is the town of Dogubayazit, which is home to some magnificent ruins from the earlier periods of Ishak Pasha Palace. Considered one of the most important highlights of the region, the Ishak Pasha Palace was constructed by the Ottoman governer himself, Ishak Pasha, in the 1600s. It has been restored many times since, and is now a building of architectural beauty. Other historical remains include an Urartian king relief and a rock tomb dating from the 9th century BC, as well as ruins from the same historical period.

Visitors to the place shouldn’t miss the almost century-old meteoric hole located between the Sancavus village and the Gurbulak border gate. It is a fascinating sight and it is also the second largest meteoric hole in the whole world, measuring about 35 m in with and 60 m in depth.

Agri is also famous for its Lake Balik, which holds plenty of trout for eager fishermen. The delectable local cuisine includes Asure, a sweet dessert which is also known as Noah’s Pudding.

Agri also boats of a mountain skiing resort, with the Bubi Mountain Skiing about 18 km from the city centre. Although it is still in its infancy stages, the skiing resort already has a thousand meter long teleski which can accommodate about 600 tourists an hour. Another skiing district is Eleskrit, which has 1,650 meter-long teleski and can hold over a thousand people per hour. The skiing track itself is 1,200 meters long and 25 meters wide.

Like the rest of Turkey, Agri enjoys a cool, continental climate for most of the year. About 1-2 meters of snow can fall especially between the months of December and April. With its plenty of tourist spots and a booming skiing business, Agri is surely becoming a real estate investor’s paradise.

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