Mount Kapaz

Mount Kapaz Kəpəz dağı
Elevation	3,065 m (10,056 ft) [1]
Listing	Ultra
Location
Location	Azerbaijan
Range	Lesser Caucasus
Coordinates	40°18′3″N 46°15′46″E / 40.30083°N 46.26278°E / 40.30083; 46.26278Coordinates: 40°18′3″N 46°15′46″E / 40.30083°N 46.26278°E / 40.30083; 46.26278

The Mount Kapaz or Kepez (Azerbaijani: Kəpəz dağı) is a mountain in Lesser Caucasus near Ganja city in central Azerbaijan. Kapaz rises 3,065 meters above the sea level. It is located next to Lake Göygöl and its huge rocks broken off the mount and blocking a nearby river in 1139 earthquake were a cause for creation of the lake.^[2] In the middle ages, the mount was also called "Alparak", the name it borrowed from the Alparak lake (now Göygöl) translated from ancient Turkic languages as "the place covered by dam" (Al - below, lower part, space in front of something; parak - dam) referring to the big rocks which blocked the Agsu river and creating a lake. A famous Azerbaijani writer Nizami Ganjavi wrote about the earthquake of 1139 referring to the lake and mount as Alparak.^[3]

The ice melting off the mount feeds the waters of Göygöl with pure water. A famous "Göygöl Winery" utilizes some of that pure water for production of certains brands of vodka such as "Khan-VIP", "Khan Export" and "Khan Premium" which gained it gold and bronze medals at "United Vodka-2008" competition in Brussels.^[4]

Archeological findings of ancient communal items in recent years near Kapaz and Qoshqar mounts and near Kura River in Ganja vicinity confirm the area was a place of early inhabitants.^[5]

See also

• Ganja, Azerbaijan
• Lake Göygöl

Notes

1. ^ ЗАПОВЕДНИКИ Retrieved 01 October 2010
2. ^ Gəncə şəhərinin təbiəti Retrieved 01 October 2010
3. ^ Каково древнее название горы Кяпяз, которую армяне пытаются переименовать в Алхарак? Retrieved on 01 October 2010
4. ^ БОЛЕЕ 3000 ЛЕТ ВЫРАЩИВАЮТ ВИНОГРАД В АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНЕ, ПОЭТОМУ У НАС ЕСТЬ ШАНС УДИВИТЬ МИР by Larisa Javanshir. Retrieved on 01 October 2010
5. ^ 23 January 2007, Azadliq Radio. Arxeoloji tapıntılar barədə kitab hazırlanır Retrieved 01 October 2010

External links

• Image of Mount Kapaz from Ganja Executive Power website
• Images of Mount Kapaz from day.az