Eastern Turkey is known for its harsh cold and year-round snow, and Kars is one of the cities in the region. In Kars, where you can enjoy a visual feast under the snow, there are the ruins of the ancient city of Ani, which hides traces of the past and is extremely impressive. Today we are going to introduce you to Ani, a half-hour drive from the center of Kars, a medieval city where time stands still.
Located on the border between Turkey and Armenia, Ani is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kars, and the mesmerizing Ani, with its unique style, even gives a feeling of being a little unreal.
Ani's churches, mosques and other buildings are hidden behind the city walls, and visitors will have a quiet and melancholy feeling in their hearts as they visit historical monuments. It's like a movie set, a set that was abandoned after the film, maybe Arnie was telling the sorrow, maybe it was those who were willing to accept their fate and waited without complaint and regret...
Ani was once the most important trade route and was the first stop of the Silk Road in Anatolia. With the revival of the Silk Roads, Ani became known. However, Arnie has a much longer history.
During the Early Iron Age of the first millennium BC, the Uraltu people began to settle here. Over time, it became a castle for many wars and sieges. Due to its important geographical location, many countries have established their own states in Ani over the centuries after competing with each other, and have achieved the development of civilization here. Ani was ruled by the Persian, Armenian, Byzantine, Seljuk, Mongol and Ottoman Empires.
Each country has a very different way of life, culture and religious belief, leaving different traces in Ani. The city has traces of pagans, Christians and Muslims.
Ani was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, known as Bagratlar, and the prosperity brought about by the economy was also reflected in the architecture of the city. Surrounded by magnificent walls with cathedrals, palaces, churches and bazaars, Ani began to be called "a city with a thousand and one churches" as the city's wealthy scrambled to build chapels and churches, and Ani had a population of nearly 100,000, comparable to the most famous city of its time.
Approaching the archaeological site of Ani, the first thing that catches your eye is the city wall. The walls of the central void are four and a half kilometers long and eight meters high, with ditches outside the walls, and the architectural style is unique and the construction is perfect.
The interesting thing about these walls is that the gates on the inner and outer walls are not symmetrical with each other. This is an unusual practice that ensures that the city is resistant to external attacks for a long time.
The traces of the intertwined civilizations of Ani are also reflected in the architecture, through the interaction of each other's cultures, with different designs, materials and technologies, the city forms a unique architectural style, and these unique ideas have also spread to Anatolia.
The Gothic architectural elements that began to appear in Europe about 200 years later were first encountered in Ani, and the architectural artifacts located in Ani, with its huge columns, decorations with pointed arches and reliefs, are regarded by experts as the pioneers of Gothic architecture, the first of which is the building known as the Ani Cathedral or Cathedral. The most magnificent building in the site, the largest temple in the city, was built of red tuff. The spectacular cathedral, which attracts attention in its design style, is one of the symbolic landmarks of Ani. The dome, the bell tower and the cathedral, which was destroyed by the earthquake, bring the city's wealth and prosperity to life.
After the conquest of Ani by the Sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire, Arpaslan, it was converted into a mosque.
There are many buildings in Ani, some still standing, some having collapsed, and some completely in ruins. The number of churches, chapels and mausoleums found in archaeological studies exceeds forty. After the Great Cathedral, the most famous building in the city is the Church of St. Gregory.
St. Gregory's Church was built for St. Kokol, dedicated to bringing Christianity to the Armenian people. It is also known as the Illustrated Church due to its frescoes depicting the process from the birth of Jesus to his death. The church also attracted attention for the design of its dome and its elaborate workmanship. The Convent of Nuns or Virgins, built outside the city, is another well-preserved church that has attracted attention in its resembling a half-open umbrella.
Ani is a very special place where different religions and cultures come together. The Persians, who settled here before Christianity, established a temple of their faith. These buildings, known as ateşgede or fire temples, were built for the sacred fire, which, according to Zoroastrian belief, should be preserved and never extinguished. The Atszgerde of Ani is the first temple in the city today.
The Seljuk palace and caravan hotel are one of the important works of the Seljuk period of Ani the Great. The religious structure of Ani shows that the city is an important religious center, ranging from pagan beliefs to monotheistic religions. Ani is an impressive Anatolian city where cultures and religions meet, where settlers have left remarkable traces and witnessed a lot, which is now on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Beginning with the Mongol invasion that swept through Anatolia, the once glorious city was slowly transformed into a village and then abandoned by the world. Buildings that survived centuries ago look sad as the years pass.