Church of The Redeemer (source)
Ani (Armenian: Անի)] is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey.
The landscape today. The Church of The Redeemer is the white building at the right side. The Cathedral of Ani is the building at the left side of the photo (source)
Called the ‘City of 1001 Churches’, Ani stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were amongst the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world. Between 100.000 and 200.000 people lived here at its prime, rivaling in importance with cities like Bagdad, Cairo or Constantinople.
Since it is located in the border region between The Ottoman Empire (Turkey), Persia (Iran) and Russia it suffered heavily from wars (and also from various earthquakes). The city was entirely abandoned by the middle of the 18th century. Today only a few buildings still (albeit just partly) stand.
city walls: the Kars gate (source)
birds eye view (source)
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