Mount Damavand
Mount
Damāvand (In
Persian: دماوند) also known as
Donbavand, a dormant
volcano, located in
middle Alborz Range and adjacency of
Vararoo ,
Sesang ,
Golezard and
Mianrood, is the highest point in
Iran (Persia) and is the highest peak in
Middle East. The
mountain is located near the southern coast of the
Caspian (Mazandaran) Sea, in the
Mazandaran, 66 km (45 mile) northeast of
Tehran. It is clearly visible from Tehran. The nearest major town to Mount Damavand is city of
Larijan famous for its
hot springs.
Mount Damāvand has its own special place in Iranian mythology and folklore. In
Zoroastrian texts and mythology, the three-headed dragon
Aži Dahāka was chained within Mount Damāvand, there to remain until the end of the world. In a later version of the same legend, the tyrant
Zahhāk was also chained on some cave in mount Damāvand after being defeated by
Kāva and
Fereydun. Damāvand is also significant to the patriotic Iranian legend of
Arash.
Damāvand was climbed by Iranians thousands of years ago, by shepherds and such.
Damavand is the symbol of Iranian resistance against the foreign rule in Persian poetry and literature. The famous poem Damavand by
Mohammad Taghi Bahar is one of the many poetic creations about Damavand.
The first verse of this poem is:
Ay deeve sepeede paay dar band,
''Oh white demon with feet in chains"
Ay gonbade giti, ay Damavand....
Oh celestial dome, Oh Mount DamavandIn Persian mythology, the mountain is where
Zahak The Dragon King is slain by the hero
Fereydun. The mountain is said to hold magical powers in the
Shahnama.
The 5,610m given here is from the
Statistical Centre of Iran; click on "A Glance at Iran", then "Land and Government" to find "the highest point in Iran is Mount Damavand being 5610 metres high". This elevation is consistent with
SRTM data. The commonly quoted 5,671m elevation is not consistent with
SRTM data and there is no evidence that it was derived from an accurate survey.
There are at least 16 known routes [
1]to the summit which have different difficulties. Some of them are very dangerous and need rock climbing. The most popular route is the Southern Route which has step stamps and also a camp midway at el=4000m.The longest route is the Northeastern and it takes two whole days to reach the summit starting from downhill village of Nandal and a night stay at Takht-e-Fereydoun (el=4300m), a two-story shelter.The western route is famous for its sunset view. Simorgh shelter in this route at el=4100m is a newly constructed shelter with two stories.There is a frozen waterfall (Abshaar-e-Yakhi), which often causes major avalanches.
Image:Damavand2.jpg|Another view of the mountain.Image:Damavand_in_winter.jpg|Damavand in winter.Image:summit_crater_damavand.jpg|Summit Crater of Mt. Damavand from space.Image:Damavand from space.jpg|Damavand from space.Image:Damavand3.jpg|Another view of Damavand.Image:Damavand_1.jpg|Mount Damavand.Image:Damavand Arad.jpg|Damavand mountain.*
Encyclopedia Iranica: Damavand Mountain: The Geography and Mythology. p.627-631*
Damavand Mountaineering Guide*
Facts and Misc. Information*
Sumit Post: Damavand
