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Alongside its history, culture, folklore and natural beauties, Iğdır is a city where four seasons can be experienced at the same time thanks to its special climatic conditions.

The Aras River (Aras Nehri) and the Mount Ağrı (Ararat) (Ağrı Dağı) give life to Iğdır. Additionally, the city is home to salt caves, caravansaries, cupolas, castles, ram-headed gravestones, a Memorial Museum (Anıt Müze) and dozens of other cultural assets.

Mount Ağrı (Ararat)

Mount Ağrı(Ağrı Dağı) is the highest mountain in Türkiye. It is also a mythical mountain due to its geological location and due to hosting Noah’s Ark after the Great Flood. The mountain rises up on the border between the provinces Ağrı and Iğdır.

Famous explorer Marco Polo described Mount Ağrı due to its fascinating and majestic flair as “a mountain that no one can ever climb”. Yet, according to records, it was Prof. Frederik von Parat, who became the first person to climb the mountain on October 9, 1829. After the 1980s, Mount Ağrı was visited by thousands of climbers, and the mountain’s popularity grew day by day.

The peak of Mount Ağrı, which rises in Eastern Anatolia near the border to Iran, lies at an altitude of 5,137 m. The best time to climb it are the months July, August and September. Winter climbs are challenging but exciting. Solo climbing of Mount Ağrı in winter is one of the biggest goals for all climbers.

Karakoyunlu Koç Başlı Open Air Museum

The ram-headed gravestones found in all old cemeteries throughout the Iğdır plain (Ararat plain) are the last remains of the period of the Kara Koyunlu Monarchy . These gravestones were erected on the graves of those who were brave and heroic during the Kara Koyunlu Monarchy’s period and those who died young. The Kara Koyunlu people inherited this tradition from the Central Asian Turkish Culture. The very few of the black basalt gravestones on Mount Ağrı, which reached our days, are under conservation.

Karakale (Sürmeli) Castle 

Karakale was built on steep cliffs 10 km from the city center, at the point where the Aras River (Aras Nehri) forms the border between Türkiye and Armenia. It was built by the Seljuks in the late 12th century. There is a large remnant of a settlement in a large area between the castle walls and the towers. Several walls and two large towers of it have remained. This area has plenty of ceramics from the periods of the Seljuk, the Urartu, and the Early Bronze Age. However, this structure, which partially has remained, is of special strategic importance, for it is built at a passable point of the Aras River and on the road leading to the Iğdır plain.

Iğdır (Korhan) Castle

The Iğdır Castle (Iğdır Kalesi) is located 36 km east of the city center on a hill that dominates the northern slope of Mount Ağrı. There is no information about the first construction phase of the castle and which civilization it was built by. However, it is known that the castle was conquered by the Great Seljuks in 1064, hence it is older. 

Korhan Meteor Crater

The meteor crater is located within the borders of Karakoyunlu Korhan Plateau (Karakoyunlu Korhan Yaylası), about 35 kilometres from the city center. The meteor crater is a large sinkhole that was claimed to have been caused through the impact of an asteroid in 1892. In fact, it is a karstic depression and has a depth of 60 meters, and a width of 35 meters. It is also an exciting place for nature lovers and photographers.

Harmandöven Ejder Caravanserai

The caravanserai was built in the 13th century by the Amir of the Surmari, Şerafettin Ejder Bey, during the Seljuk period on the caravan route between Batumi-Tabriz, which is one of the side roads of the Silk Road.

Çakırtaş Kul Yusuf Cupola

The cupola is located in the Çakırtaş village 11 km north of Iğdır. The inscription above the entrance door of the cupola states that it was built for a person called Kul Yusuf in 1485.

Tuzluca Gökkuşağı Hills

The red, brown, grey and yellow soil structure that paints the Tuzluca Gökkuşağı Hills (Rainbow Hills) (Gökkuşağı Tepeleri) across the thousands of acres of land in the west of the district Tuzluca are worth seeing.

Üçkaya Lake and Üçkaya Valley

On the one side there is the huge valley, and on the other side there is the Üçkaya Lake (Üçkaya Gölü), surrounded by different types of trees, a natural structure and rich fauna. This landscape is worth seeing throughout every season of the year. With the arrival of autumn, the valley forms a colour chart full of beautiful shades of yellow, brown and green. Especially the valley, which offers images for postcards, is attractive to nature photographers and nature athletes.

Tekelti Mount

Mount Tekelti (Tekelti Dağı) is one of the rare rocks in Türkiye. It has the ideal conditions for steep rock climbing.

Ahura Ruins

The Ahura Ruins are an important archaeological site dating back to the Urartian Kingdom. This historic settlement, which hosted different cultures from the 9th century BC to the 1st century AD, contains remains from the Urartian, as well as the Persian, Roman, and Eastern Roman periods. Drawing attention with their foothill location and strategic importance, the ruins offered a rich environment of cultural interaction thanks to the region’s position along an important trade route throughout history.

The most prominent remains at the Ahura Ruins belong to the Urartian Period. Fortresses, palaces, water channels, and temple remains reveal the advanced architectural and engineering understanding of the period. Inscriptions and various artifacts found in the area provide valuable information about Urartian culture.

After the collapse of the Urartian Kingdom, the region came under the rule of the Persian, Roman, and Eastern Roman empires. Remains from these periods are also found within the ruins, and the fact that structures were built on top of one another shows that history has reached the present day in a layered form. Archaeological excavations reveal that the region has a rich past and is awaiting further exploration.

Bulakbaşı

Located in Bulakbaşı Village of the Karakoyunlu district of Iğdır, Karasu Stream, formed by spring waters said to originate from Mount Ararat, is home to numerous bird and plant species. Serving as a habitat for many bird and fish species such as the water monkey, wild duck, and stork, this stream, with its lush landscape resembling a hidden paradise, meets both the agricultural irrigation and drinking water needs of many surrounding villages.

Located within the borders of Iğdır province, the Aras Valley is not only an important natural area but also lies on one of the world’s most significant bird migration routes, the Africa–Eurasia bird migration corridor. Every spring and autumn, hundreds of thousands of passerine and raptor birds migrate along the Aras Valley, reaching their breeding grounds in the north in spring and their wintering areas in Africa in autumn. During this migration process, tens of thousands of birds stop in the valley to rest, feed, and continue their journey.