Ani Ruins

Ani is situated in Kars City, next to the Armenian border. It was the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom between 961 and 1045. Today, 50 churches, 33 cave chapels, and 20 chapels have been unearthed. This might be the reason why it was called the "City of 1,001 Churches" in the past. It was on the ancient trade routes that it developed and so many early examples of Gothic architecture and Romanesque-style buildings were built. In 1236, it was sacked by the Mongols, damaged by an earthquake in 1319, and abandoned in the 17th century. Since 2016, it has been a Unesco World Heritage Site.