The Ruins of Ani, Turkey
This week I bring to you what could be one of the most amazing sets of ruins in the world. There are certainly places in much better condition than the medieval remains of Ani, Turkey, but there are few with as rich a history. This abandoned city, once more to more than 100,000 people, is located right on the Armenian border, about 30 miles outside the city of
Once a very important trade city, Ani served as capital for a time as well. It began as a fortress as early as the 5th century and officially became a prized city during the 9th century. During the 11th century, Ani hit its population peak of more than 100,000 and there looked to be an amazing future ahead of it.
Unfortunately, the Mongols had a different idea. In the 13th century they tore the place apart. Though some made attempts to rebuild, another Mongol invasion, this time led by Tamerlane, halted that effort. An earthquake came a little later and shattered most of what was left. People hung on for some time, but slowly filtered out until Ani was left devoid of life.
The site is located pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so it provides one with a great way to both see some history as well as get away from the world for a while. At Ani, one can see the remains of a massive wall that once enclosed the city as well as the ruins of a Seljuk palace, many churches (Ani was once referred to as the “City of 1001 Churches”), a cathedral and a few mosques. Many of the buildings remain in decent condition, so there’s plenty more to see than just a few crumbling piles of rock.
Walking through Ani is like taking a trip to the past, an entire city from another era that had been left to die but was found once again by history lovers. Due to
Church of the Redeemer photo courtesy of Ggia via Wikicommons
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