Ani

Overview

On a high, windswept plateau at the far eastern edge of Turkey, the ruins of a medieval city stand in the grass: a cathedral with a fallen dome, churches of red and black stone, a lone minaret and long lines of walls. Below, a deep river gorge drops away to the east. This is Ani, once called the “city of a thousand and one churches”. For nine days in the east, see our Lost Kingdoms of Eastern Anatolia tour.

Few places in Turkey feel so remote, or so moving. So plan a full morning, walk slowly between the monuments, and let the steppe do the rest.

The City of 1,001 Churches

Ani lies in Kars province, about 42 kilometers (26 miles) from the city of Kars. By train, see our Eastern Express to Kars tour in 4 days. The city stands on a triangular site, protected on the east by the gorge of the Akhurian River, known in Turkish as the Arpaçay, and on the west by another valley.

In the 10th and 11th centuries, Ani was the capital of the medieval Armenian Bagratid kingdom. Since July 2016, the site has also been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a meeting place of Armenian, Georgian and Islamic traditions.

History of Ani

A royal capital

King Ashot III moved his capital from Kars to Ani in 962. The city then grew fast, especially under Smbat II and Gagik I, when it reached the height of its power. Although it did not lie on an old trade route, its size and wealth turned it into a trading hub linked to Byzantium, Persia and the Arab world. That is why people called it the “city of forty gates”.

Many rulers

Then, in 1045, the city passed to the Byzantine Empire. It came under the Seljuks, then the Shaddadid dynasty from 1072, and later the Zakarian princes. The Mongols took it in 1236. An earthquake in 1319 and the shift of trade routes sent Ani into decline, and by the 17th century it was abandoned.

Excavation and protection

Later, in the early 20th century, the scholar Nicholas Marr excavated large parts of the city. Today, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism leads conservation, and restoration of several monuments continues.

What to See at Ani

The Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God was begun in 989 and finished in the early 11th century. Its architect was Trdat. Its dome fell in the earthquake of 1319. Inside, however, pointed arches and clustered piers look surprisingly Gothic, even though the building is centuries older than Europe’s Gothic cathedrals.

The church of St. Gregory of Tigran Honents

Finished in 1215, this is the best-preserved monument at Ani. For this church, a rich merchant, Tigran Honents, paid the bill. On the outside, carvings of real and imaginary animals fill the spaces between the blind arches. Inside, too, cycles of frescoes survive, including scenes from the life of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

The Manuchihr Mosque and the citadel

The mosque takes its name from Manuchihr, the first Shaddadid ruler of Ani after 1072. Even now, its minaret stands, with the word Bismillah in Kufic letters high on its north face. Further south, the citadel hill held the palace of the Bagratid kings and the oldest church in Ani.

The walls and the Holy Redeemer

Double walls with tall round towers guard the north side, the only side not protected by ravines. Close to them, the Church of the Holy Redeemer, completed shortly after 1035, once had 19 sides outside. However, its eastern half collapsed in a storm in 1955.

Kars and the Villages Around Ani

Outside the walls, goats and sheep still shelter in the cave dwellings carved into the cliffs. The nearest city is Kars, whose kaşar and gravyer cheeses are registered geographical indications.

How to Visit Ani

Getting to Ani

• From Kars: drive east to the village of Ocaklı, at the entrance to the site. Our Ani tour from Kars takes you there with your own guide.
• By air: fly to Kars, which is also the last stop of the Eastern Express train from Ankara.
• Combine it with Mount Ararat and the Ishak Pasha Palace in Doğubayazıt, further south in Eastern Anatolia.

Local tips for Ani

• Bring a hat, water and a jacket, because the plateau is exposed to sun and wind.
• Stay on marked paths near the gorge.