Mount Kazbek, Dormant stratovolcano in Caucasus Mountains, Georgia.
Mount Kazbek is a dormant stratovolcano on the Georgian-Russian border that rises to 5033 meters (16512 feet) and consists of trachyte rock. The two summit cones are connected by a saddle, while glaciers cover the upper slopes and snowfields remain visible even in high summer.
Yosif Buzurtanov reached the summit for the first time in the late 18th century, long before western European expeditions mapped the peak. The last eruption occurred around 750 BCE, and the volcano has been dormant ever since.
Georgian folklore links the peak to Amirani, the Georgian Prometheus chained here for stealing fire from the gods. His prison was later identified with the Betlemi cave hermitage at about 4,000 m, said to have held sacred relics including Abraham's tent and the manger of the infant Jesus. The Georgian name Mqinvartsveri means "Glacier Peak".
Plan your visit between July and August when weather conditions are more stable and base camps become accessible. Bring altitude gear, as temperatures drop sharply from valley to summit and snow persists even in summer.
The Betlemi hermitage cave, near the 4,000-meter level, is linked in Georgian folklore to Amirani, the Georgian Prometheus, chained on Kazbek for stealing fire. Legends say the cave held Abraham's tent and the manger of the infant Jesus. In 2019 a survey team fixed the summit at 5,053.927 meters with a GPS receiver.
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