- Type
- Fortress
- Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Coordinates
- 40.5075°, 43.5728°
History
On a triangular promontory above the gorge of the Akhurian, which now marks the border between Turkey and Armenia, King Ashot III of the Bagratid dynasty made Ani his capital in 961. His successor Smbat II encircled the city with a double ring of walls, and Ani grew into one of the largest cities of the region, famed for its trade and its many churches. Byzantium took over the city in 1045, and in 1064 it was captured by the Seljuks under Alp Arslan. Georgians and Mongols were among its later rulers, and after an earthquake in 1319 and the shift of trade routes Ani was gradually abandoned. The ruins were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.
What to see
Beyond the mighty walls and the Lion Gate lies a wide, grassy plateau scattered with ruins. The main sights are the cathedral completed in 1001 to designs by the architect Trdat, the Church of St Gregory of Tigran Honents with its colourful frescoes, the polygonal Church of St Gregory of Abughamrents and the Seljuk Mosque of Manuchihr on the cliff edge. From the rim of the gorge you can see the remains of a medieval bridge and the Armenian bank opposite.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q546010
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