Kazbek

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Kazbek
Kazbek

Kazbek

height 5047  m
location Mtskheta-Mtianeti ( Georgia ),
North Ossetia-Alania ( Russia )
Mountains Greater Caucasus
Coordinates 42 ° 41 ′ 50 "  N , 44 ° 31 ′ 7"  E Coordinates: 42 ° 41 ′ 50 "  N , 44 ° 31 ′ 7"  E
Kazbek (Caucasus)
Kazbek
Type extinct stratovolcano
Last eruption 750 BC Chr.
First ascent 1868 by Douglas W. Freshfield , Adolphus Warburton Moore , Charles C. Tucker and a Swiss mountain guide

The Kazbek ( Georgia ყაზბეგი Qasbegi even მყინვარწვერი Mqinwarzweri , "ice peaks") is the third highest mountain in Georgia and the eighth highest mountain in the Greater Caucasus . The state border between Georgia, Mtskheta-Mtianeti region , and Russia , Republic of North Ossetia-Alania runs across its summit .

Geography and location

It lies in the middle between the Caspian and Black Seas and rises as a trachytic, extinct volcanic cone on a 1770 m high base up to 5047  m . Several glaciers and partly permanent, partly periodic snow fields extend on its sides . The mountain belongs to the Choch chain , a northern branch of the main ridge of the Greater Caucasus . The Terek River rises from one of the Kazbek glaciers . At the eastern foot of the Kazbek is the place Stepantsminda , which until 2006 was called Qasbegi (German after the Russian spelling also Kazbegi ). The administrative unit ( Munizipaliteti , Munizipalität ) Qasbegi of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region surrounding the mountain from northeast to southwest is named after the Georgian writer Aleksandre Qasbegi (1848-1893), who was born there, and not after the mountain . The Georgian Military Road , which connects Russia and Georgia , runs through the area east of Mount Kazbek .

mythology

The Mount Kazbek is said to be that mountain of Greek mythology to which Prometheus was chained because he stole fire from the gods and gave it to people without permission. According to the myth, an eagle tore a piece of the repeatedly growing liver out of his body every day until he was freed by Heracles .

Gergetier Trinity Church

Below the summit is the Gergetis Sameba church (German: "Gergetier Dreifaltigkeitskirche") at 2170  m . It was built in the 14th century and is the only domed church in the Georgian mountains. For centuries it housed the Georgian crown treasure and the vine cross of Saint Nino .

Ascent

The mountain was first climbed in 1868 by Douglas W. Freshfield , Adolphus Warburton Moore , Charles C. Tucker and a Swiss mountain guide . It is relatively easily accessible for mountaineers, and a former meteorological station at an altitude of 3600  m provides temporary accommodation for mountaineers. The normal ascent is not technically difficult and leads over flat to moderately steep glaciers. It takes two to three days from Stepantsminda, provided you are already well acclimatized.

literature

  • Douglas W. Freshfield: The exploration of the Caucasus. Volume 1. Edward Arnold, London a. a. 1896, p. 87 ff.

Web links

Commons : Kazbek  - collection of images, videos and audio files