120-502: Ani is a ruined Armenian medieval city in Turkey. Ani or ANI may also refer to: Ani Ani ( Armenian : Անի ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἄνιον , translit. Ánion ; Latin : Abnicum ) is a ruined medieval Armenian city now situated in Turkey 's province of Kars , next to the closed border with Armenia . Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of
240-732: A stereoscopic image of Ani in the second half of the 19th century. In 1878, the Ottoman Empire's Kars region—including Ani—was incorporated into the Russian Empire 's Transcaucasian region. In 1892 the first archaeological excavations were conducted at Ani, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and supervised by the Georgian archaeologist and orientalist Nicholas Marr (1864–1934). Marr's excavations at Ani resumed in 1904 and continued yearly until 1917. Large sectors of
360-614: A Greek general serving in some of the Persian expeditions, describes many aspects of Armenian village life and hospitality in around 401 BC. Some scholars have linked the name Armenia with the Early Bronze Age state of Armani (Armanum, Armi) or the Late Bronze Age state of Arme (Shupria) . These connections are inconclusive as it is not known what languages were spoken in these kingdoms. Additionally, while it
480-520: A Turkish military zone on Turkey's decaying closed border with the modern Republic of Armenia . Ani's recent history has been one of continuous and always increasing destruction. Neglect, earthquakes, cultural cleansing , vandalism, quarrying, amateurish restorations and excavations – all these and more have taken a heavy toll on Ani's monuments. In the estimation of the Landmarks Foundation (a non-profit organization established for
600-479: A circular ambulatory). The date of its construction is not known, but the earliest dated inscription on its walls is from 1031. It was founded by the Pahlavuni family and was used by the archbishops of Ani (many of whom belonged to that dynasty). It has a plan of a type called an inscribed quatrefoil with corner chambers . Only fragments remain of the church, but a narthex with spectacular stonework, built against
720-591: A conciliatory policy towards the city's overwhelmingly Armenian and Christian population and married several members of the Bagratid nobility. Whenever the Shaddadid governance became too intolerant, however, the population would appeal to the Christian Kingdom of Georgia for help. The Georgians captured Ani five times between 1124 and 1209: in 1124 , 1161 , 1174 , 1199 . The first three times, it
840-635: A denominational meaning and would have designated all those in Ani who professed the Chalcedonian faith, mostly Armenians . Although the Georgian Church controlled this church, its congregation would have mostly been Armenians. The mosque is named after its presumed founder, Manuchihr , the first member of the Shaddadid dynasty that ruled Ani after 1072. The oldest surviving part of the mosque
960-514: A population of well over 100,000, though this seems highly optimistic given its limited area. Renowned for its splendor, Ani was sacked by the Mongols in 1236. Ani never recovered from a devastating 1319 earthquake and, more significantly, from the shifting of regional trade routes, and was abandoned by the 17th century. Ani is a widely recognized cultural, religious, and national heritage symbol for Armenians. According to Razmik Panossian , Ani
1080-473: A small chapel that are from a slightly later period. The exterior of the church is spectacularly decorated. Ornate stone carvings of real and imaginary animals fill the spandrels between blind arcade that runs around all four sides of the church. The interior contains an important and unique series of frescoes cycles that depict two main themes. In the eastern third of the church is depicted the Life of Saint Gregory
1200-435: A wide panorama of medieval architectural development thanks to the presence at the site of almost all the architectural types that emerged in the region in the course of six centuries from 7th to 13th centuries AD". This is due to the cities "military, religious, and civil buildings". UNESCO states that Ani "is also considered a rare settlement", this is because many different styles of Armenian churches can be seen throughout
1320-663: Is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia . It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. Yerevan is the capital , largest city and financial center . Armenia is a unitary , multi-party, democratic nation-state with an ancient cultural heritage. The Armenian Highlands has been home to
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#17327733428501440-455: Is a potential model for the improvement of the contemporary international relations in the region, starting from the involvement of the international community in the efforts to preserve this exceptional multi-cultural archaeological site." All the structures at Ani are constructed using the local volcanic basalt, a sort of tufa stone. It is easily carved and comes in a variety of vibrant colors, from creamy yellow, to rose-red, to jet black. It
1560-596: Is agreed that Arme was located to the immediate west of Lake Van (probably in the vicinity of Sason , and therefore in the greater Armenia region), the location of the older site of Armani is a matter of debate. Some modern researchers have placed it near modern Samsat , and have suggested it was populated, at least partially, by an early Indo-European-speaking people. It is possible that the name Armenia originates in Armini , Urartian for "inhabitant of Arme" or "Armean country". The Arme tribe of Urartian texts may have been
1680-733: Is also attested by the transfer of the seat of the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the spiritual leader of the Armenian people, to the region. The Seljuk Empire soon started to collapse. In the early 12th century, Armenian princes of the Zakarid family drove out the Seljuk Turks and established a semi-independent principality in northern and eastern Armenia known as Zakarid Armenia , which lasted under
1800-712: Is at the Nor Geghi 1 Stone Age site in the Hrazdan river valley. Thousands of 325,000 year-old artifacts may indicate that this stage of human technological innovation occurred intermittently throughout the Old World, rather than spreading from a single point of origin (usually hypothesized to be Africa), as was previously thought. Many early Bronze Age settlements were built in Armenia (Valley of Ararat, Shengavit, Harich, Karaz, Amiranisgora, Margahovit, Garni, etc.). One of
1920-770: Is geographically located in the South Caucasus , it is generally considered geopolitically European. Since Armenia aligns itself in many respects geopolitically with Europe , the country is a member of numerous European organizations including the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe , the Council of Europe , the Eastern Partnership , Eurocontrol , the Assembly of European Regions , and
2040-592: Is granted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yerevan for free and takes one week. According to The Economist , Armenians have "accused the Turks of neglecting the place in a spirit of chauvinism. The Turks retort that Ani's remains have been shaken by blasts from a quarry on the Armenian side of the border." Another commentator said: Ani is now a ghost city, uninhabited for over three centuries and marooned inside
2160-536: Is important to note that throughout the attacks and natural disasters Ani has faced throughout the years, all of the buildings have at least significant structural damages, or have otherwise been completely destroyed. The most important surviving monuments are as follows. Also known as Surp Asdvadzadzin (the Church of the Holy Mother of God), its construction was started in the year 989, under King Smbat II . Work
2280-584: Is its still intact minaret . It has the Arabic word Bismillah ("In the name of God") in Kufic lettering high on its northern face. The prayer hall, half of which survives, dates from a later period (the 12th or 13th century). In 1906 the mosque was partially repaired in order for it to house a public museum containing objects found during Nicholas Marr's excavations. Restoration of the mosque started in June 2020. At
2400-534: Is linked by railroad with many important Turkish cities and is also considered to be an important military site due to its positioning near Turkey's border with Armenia. Ani is about 400 m (1,300 ft) from the Turkey-Armenia border. Across the border is the Armenian village of Kharkov, part of Shirak Province . Armenian chroniclers such as Yeghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi first mentioned Ani in
2520-540: Is one of the most visible and ‘tangible’ symbols of past Armenian greatness and hence a source of pride. In 2016, it was added onto the UNESCO World Heritage List . After two decades of continuous international efforts, Ani Archaeological Site has transformed from a seat of conflict and geopolitical instability to a center of cultural tourism that might foster cultural exchange and deepening historical understanding. The city took its name from
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#17327733428502640-573: The Arabs near the end of the 9th century after being controlled by the Persians and Umayyad Arabs for many years at this point. The king of Bagratid Armenia that led to this independence was Ashot I . He had a short-lived position as the king of the Bagratid dynasty, however, the impact of securing the freedom of the dynasty would last for many years. His son, Smbat I , ruled directly after he did. The Bagratid dynasty consisted of many sub-kingdoms,
2760-610: The Arabs , as well as smaller nations in southern Russia and Central Asia. In 1064, a large Seljuk army under Alp Arslan attacked Ani; after a siege of 25 days, they captured the city and slaughtered its population. An account of the sack and massacres in Ani is given by the Turkish historian Sibt ibn al-Jawzi , who quotes an eyewitness saying: The army entered the city, massacred its inhabitants, pillaged and burned it, leaving it in ruins and taking prisoner all those who remained alive...The dead bodies were so many that they blocked
2880-529: The Armenian Highlands . Each of the aforementioned nations and confederacies participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenians . A large cuneiform lapidary inscription found in Yerevan established that the modern capital of Armenia was founded in the summer of 782 BC by King Argishti I . Yerevan is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities . After the fall of the state of Urartu at
3000-517: The Armenian genocide . The genocide was implemented in two phases: the wholesale killing of the able-bodied male population through massacre and subjection of army conscripts to forced labour, followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly and infirm on death marches leading to the Syrian desert . Driven forward by military escorts, the deportees were deprived of food and water and subjected to periodic robbery, rape, and massacre. There
3120-824: The Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC and established his nation in the Ararat region. The further origin of the name is uncertain. It is also further postulated that the name Hay comes from one of the two confederated, Hittite vassal states – the Ḫayaša -Azzi (1600–1200 BC). The exonym Armenia is attested in the Old Persian Behistun Inscription (515 BC) as Armina ( 𐎠𐎼𐎷𐎡𐎴 ). The Ancient Greek terms Ἀρμενία ( Armenía ) and Ἀρμένιοι ( Arménioi , "Armenians") are first mentioned by Hecataeus of Miletus ( c. 550 BC – c. 476 BC ). Xenophon ,
3240-552: The Bagratid Armenian kingdom that covered much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey. The iconic city was often referred to as the "City of 1,001 Churches," though the number was significantly less. To date, 50 churches, 33 cave chapels and 20 chapels have been excavated by archaeologists and historians. Ani stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings , palaces, and sophisticated fortifications distinguished it from other contemporary urban centers in
3360-646: The Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia was restored in the 9th century before falling in 1045. Cilician Armenia , an Armenian principality and later a kingdom, was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea between the 11th and 14th centuries. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the traditional Armenian homeland composed of Eastern Armenia and Western Armenia came under the rule of the Ottoman and Persian empires, repeatedly ruled by either of
3480-688: The Bagratuni kingdom . Hovhannes-Smbat, fearing that the Byzantine Empire would attack his now-weakened kingdom, made the Byzantine Emperor Basil II his heir. When Hovhannes-Smbat died in 1041, Emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian , claimed sovereignty over Ani. The new king of Ani, Gagik II (1042–45), opposed this and several Byzantine armies sent to capture Ani were repulsed. However, in 1046 Ani surrendered to
3600-648: The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 . At the time, Russian-controlled Eastern Armenia , Georgia, and Azerbaijan attempted to bond together in the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic . This federation, however, lasted from only February to May 1918, when all three parties decided to dissolve it. As a result, the Dashnaktsutyun government of Eastern Armenia declared its independence on 28 May as
3720-799: The Bronze Age and earlier, dating to about 4000 BC. Archaeological surveys in 2010 and 2011 at the Areni-1 cave complex have resulted in the discovery of the world's earliest known leather shoe , skirt, and wine-producing facility . Several Bronze Age cultures and states flourished in the area of Greater Armenia, including the Trialeti-Vanadzor culture , Hayasa-Azzi , and Mitanni (located in southwestern historical Armenia), all of which are believed to have had Indo-European populations. The Nairi confederation and its successor, Urartu , successively established their sovereignty over
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3840-736: The Caucasus and Persian campaigns . The new government in Istanbul began to look on the Armenians with distrust and suspicion because the Imperial Russian Army contained a contingent of Armenian volunteers . On 24 April 1915, Armenian intellectuals were arrested by Ottoman authorities and, with the Tehcir Law (29 May 1915), eventually a large proportion of Armenians living in Anatolia perished in what has become known as
3960-862: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development . Armenia is also a member of certain regional groups throughout Eurasia , including the Asian Development Bank , the Collective Security Treaty Organization , the Eurasian Economic Union , and the Eurasian Development Bank . Armenia supported the once de facto independent Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was proclaimed in 1991 on territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan , until
4080-475: The First Republic of Armenia under the leadership of Aram Manukian . The First Republic's short-lived independence was fraught with war, territorial disputes , large-scale rebellions , and a mass influx of refugees from Western Armenia, bringing with them disease and starvation. The Entente Powers sought to help the newly founded Armenian state through relief funds and other forms of support. At
4200-640: The Hayasa-Azzi , Shupria and Nairi . By at least 600 BC, an archaic form of Proto-Armenian , an Indo-European language, had diffused into the Armenian Highlands. The first Armenian state of Urartu was established in 860 BC, and by the 6th century BC it was replaced by the Satrapy of Armenia . The Kingdom of Armenia reached its height under Tigranes the Great in the 1st century BC and in
4320-576: The Kara Koyunlu , Timurid dynasty and Ağ Qoyunlu , which continued from the 13th century until the 15th century. After incessant invasions, each bringing destruction to the country, with time Armenia became weakened. In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid dynasty of Iran divided Armenia. From the early 16th century, both Western Armenia and Eastern Armenia fell to
4440-776: The Republic of Mountainous Armenia by Armenian forces under command of Garegin Nzhdeh on 26 April, which fought off both Soviet and Turkish intrusions in the Zangezur region of southern Armenia. After Soviet agreements to include the Syunik Province in Armenia's borders, the rebellion ended and the Red Army took control of the region on 13 July. Armenia was annexed by the Red Army and along with Georgia and Azerbaijan ,
4560-655: The Sasanian Empire , it seems, becoming the first officially Christian state, ten years before the Roman Empire granted Christianity an official toleration under Galerius , and 36 years before Constantine the Great was baptised. Prior to this, during the latter part of the Parthian period, Armenia was a predominantly Zoroastrian country. After the fall of the Kingdom of Armenia in 428, most of Armenia
4680-494: The Umayyad Caliphate . The principality was ruled by the Prince of Armenia, and recognised by the Caliph and the Byzantine Emperor . It was part of the administrative division/emirate Arminiya created by the Arabs, which also included parts of Georgia and Caucasian Albania , and had its centre in the Armenian city, Dvin . Arminiya lasted until 884, when it regained its independence from the weakened Abbasid Caliphate under Ashot I of Armenia . The reemergent Armenian kingdom
4800-543: The "Red Sultan" or "Bloody Sultan". During the 1890s, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation , commonly known as Dashnaktsutyun , became active within the Ottoman Empire with the aim of unifying the various small groups in the empire that were advocating for reform and defending Armenian villages from massacres that were widespread in some of the Armenian-populated areas of the empire. Dashnaktsutyun members also formed Armenian fedayi groups that defended Armenian civilians through armed resistance. The Dashnaks also worked for
4920-430: The "city of forty gates" and the "city of a thousand and one churches." Ani also became the site of the royal mausoleum of Bagratuni kings. Ani attained the peak of its power during the long reign of King Gagik I (989–1020). After his death his two sons quarreled over the succession. The eldest son, Hovhannes-Smbat (1020–41), gained control of Ani while his younger brother, Ashot IV (1020–40), controlled other parts of
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5040-414: The 'Ani school', reflecting its techniques, style, and material characteristics". Ani's architecture is an important reminder to the citizens of Armenia of their past. Its buildings have beautiful stone working and architectural designs that were very ahead of their time, this is a major source of pride for the Armenian people. The third criterion that gained Ani the right to be protected is that "Ani offers
5160-420: The 1813 Treaty of Gulistan and the 1828 Treaty of Turkmenchay , following the Russo-Persian War (1804–13) and the Russo-Persian War (1826–28) , respectively, the Qajar dynasty of Iran was forced to irrevocably cede Eastern Armenia , consisting of the Erivan and Karabakh Khanates , to Imperial Russia . This period is known as Russian Armenia . While Western Armenia still remained under Ottoman rule,
5280-418: The 1950s Ani was part of the USSR's territorial claims on Turkey . In 1968 there were negotiations between the Soviet Union and Turkey, in which Ani would be transferred to Soviet Armenia in exchange for two Kurdish villages being transferred to Turkey, however nothing resulted from the talks. During the Cold War , and until 2004, a permit from the Turkish Ministry of Culture was required. At one point in
5400-427: The 1980s, photography was banned, as the site lay on the then Turkish-Soviet border. Today, according to Lonely Planet and Frommer's travel guides to Turkey: Official permission to visit Ani is no longer needed. Just go to Ani and buy a ticket. If you don't have your own car, haggle with a taxi or minibus driver in Kars for the round-trip to Ani, perhaps sharing the cost with other travelers. If you have trouble,
5520-422: The 19th century, Eastern Armenia was ruled by the successive Safavid, Afsharid and Qajar empires, while Western Armenia remained under Ottoman rule. From 1604, Abbas I of Iran implemented a " scorched earth " policy in the region to protect his north-western frontier against any invading Ottoman forces , a policy that involved a forced resettlement of masses of Armenians outside of their homelands. In
5640-444: The 5th century. They described it as a strong fortress built on a hilltop and a possession of the Armenian Kamsarakan dynasty . By the early 9th century, the former territories of the Kamsarakans in Arsharunik and Shirak (including Ani) had been incorporated into the territories of the Armenian Bagratuni dynasty. The Bagratuni dynasty was the second notable dynasty in the Armenian kingdom . They secured their independence from
5760-452: The Armenian Catholicosate did the same. The Persian Safavids then ruled Ani until it became part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1579. A small town remained within its walls at least until the middle of the seventeenth century, but the site was entirely abandoned by 1735 when the last monks left the monastery in the Virgin's Fortress or Kizkale . "Of true Armenian architecture the finest and most characteristic specimens are to be found in
5880-536: The Armenian diaspora have been campaigning for official recognition of the events as genocide for over 30 years. These events are traditionally commemorated yearly on 24 April, the Armenian Martyr Day, or the Day of the Armenian genocide. Although the Russian Caucasus Army of Imperial forces commanded by Nikolai Yudenich and Armenians in volunteer units and Armenian militia led by Andranik Ozanian and Tovmas Nazarbekian succeeded in gaining most of Western Armenia during World War I, their gains were lost with
6000-406: The Armenian fortress-city and pre-Christian religious center of Ani-Kamakh located in the region of Daranaghi in Upper Armenia . Ani was also previously known as Khnamk , although historians are uncertain as to why it was called so; according to philologist and Armenologist Heinrich Hübschmann , this name has nothing to do with the ordinary Armenian verb khnamel ("to care for"). According to
6120-419: The Armenian kingdom. Among its most notable buildings was the Cathedral of Ani , which is associated with early examples of Gothic architecture and that scholars argue influenced the great cathedrals of Europe in the early gothic and Romanesque styles; its ribbed vaulting would not be seen in European cathedrals for at least another two centuries. At its height, Ani was one of the world's largest cities, with
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#17327733428506240-572: The Armenians were granted considerable autonomy within their own enclaves and lived in relative harmony with other groups in the empire (including the ruling Turks). However, as Christians under a strict Muslim social structure , Armenians faced pervasive discrimination. In response to 1894 Sasun rebellion , Sultan Abdul Hamid II organised state-sponsored massacres against the Armenians between 1894 and 1896, resulting in an estimated death toll of 80,000 to 300,000 people. The Hamidian massacres , as they came to be known, gave Hamid international infamy as
6360-504: The Byzantine Empire conquered Bagratid Armenia. Soon, the other Armenian states fell under Byzantine control as well. The Byzantine rule was short-lived, as in 1071 the Seljuk Empire defeated the Byzantines and conquered Armenia at the Battle of Manzikert , establishing the Seljuk Empire. To escape death or servitude at the hands of those who had assassinated his relative, Gagik II of Armenia , King of Ani , an Armenian named Ruben I, Prince of Armenia , went with some of his countrymen into
6480-411: The Byzantines, after Gagik was invited to Constantinople and detained there, and at the instigation of pro-Byzantine elements among its population. A Byzantine governor was installed in the city. Ani lied along any previously important trade routes, but because of its size, power, and wealth it became an important trading hub. Its primary trading partners were the Byzantine Empire, the Persian Empire ,
6600-605: The Great , becoming the most powerful kingdom of its time east of the Roman Republic . In the next centuries, Armenia was in the Persian Empire 's sphere of influence during the reign of Tiridates I , the founder of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia , which itself was a branch of the Parthian Empire . Throughout its history, the kingdom of Armenia enjoyed both periods of independence and periods of autonomy subject to contemporary empires. Its strategic location between two continents has subjected it to invasions by many peoples, including Assyria (under Ashurbanipal , at around 669–627 BC,
6720-438: The Illuminator , in the middle third of the church is depicted the Life of Christ. Such extensive fresco cycles are rare features in Armenian architecture – it is believed that these ones were executed by Georgian artists, and the cycle also includes scenes from the life of St. Nino, who converted the Georgians to Christianity. In the narthex and its chapel survive fragmentary frescoes that are more Byzantine in style. This church
6840-472: The Russian Empire ceased to exist, leading to the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia . By 1920, the state was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Armenian SSR . The modern Republic of Armenia became independent in 1991 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Armenia is a developing country and ranks 85th on the Human Development Index (2021). Its economy is primarily based on industrial output and mineral extraction. While Armenia
6960-403: The Safavid Empire. Owing to the century long Turco-Iranian geopolitical rivalry that would last in West Asia, significant parts of the region were frequently fought over between the two rivalling empires during the Ottoman–Persian Wars . From the mid 16th century with the Peace of Amasya , and decisively from the first half of the 17th century with the Treaty of Zuhab until the first half of
7080-399: The Sèvres treaty. Simultaneously, the Soviet Eleventh Army , under the command of Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze , invaded Armenia at Karavansarai (present-day Ijevan ) on 29 November. By 4 December, Ordzhonikidze's forces entered Yerevan and the short-lived Armenian republic collapsed. After the fall of the republic, the February Uprising soon took place in 1921, and led to the establishment of
7200-475: The Tourist Office may help. Plan to spend at least a half-day at Ani. It's not a bad idea to bring a picnic lunch and a water bottle. From the Armenian side of the border, in Shirak Province , an observation post has been set up near the village of Haykadzor , complete with an information panel, but the view is very poor. The outpost of Kharkov offers an excellent view, but access is restricted by border troops and Russian military personnel. Permission to visit
7320-464: The Urumu, who in the 12th century BC attempted to invade Assyria from the north with their allies the Mushki and the Kaskians . The Urumu apparently settled in the vicinity of Sason, lending their name to the regions of Arme and the nearby lands of Urme and Inner Urumu. Given that this was an exonym , it may have meant "wasteland, dense forest", cf. armutu (wasteland), armaḫḫu (thicket, thick woods), armāniš (tree). The southerners considered
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#17327733428507440-406: The Verge" of irreparable loss and destruction, citing insufficient management and looting as primary causes. The World Monuments Fund (WMF) placed Ani on its 1996, 1998, and 2000 Watch Lists of 100 Most Endangered Sites. In May 2011, WMF announced it was beginning conservation work on the cathedral and Church of the Holy Redeemer in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of Culture. In 2023, with
7560-443: The addition "would secure significant benefits in protection, research expertise, and funding." It gained this status due to its amazing representation of medieval Armenian architecture , however, there were three main criteria that further explain why this aspect of Ani is significant. The first of these criteria is that "Ani was a meeting place for Armenian, Georgian , and diverse Islamic cultural traditions that were reflected in
7680-411: The aftermath of the 1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War and occupied the old city of Alexandropol (present-day Gyumri ). The violent conflict finally concluded with the Treaty of Alexandropol on 2 December 1920. The treaty forced Armenia to disarm most of its military forces , cede all former Ottoman territory granted to it by the Treaty of Sèvres , and to give up all the "Wilsonian Armenia" granted to it at
7800-400: The appearance of Gothic architecture (a style which the Ani cathedral predates by several centuries). This church, finished in 1215, is the best-preserved monument at Ani. It was built during the rule of the Zakarids and was commissioned by the wealthy Armenian merchant Tigran Honents . Its plan is of a type called a domed hall . In front of its entrance are the ruins of a narthex and
7920-409: The architectural design, material, and decorative details of the monuments". Ani's location on the silk road brought in many visitors from various parts of the world, these visitors brought with them new cultures and architectural styles. This unique combination of residents in the city led many of the buildings in Ani to have a never-before-seen architectural style that is distinct to this region of
8040-417: The armies of the Ottoman Empire were fighting their way across the territory of the newly declared Republic of Armenia, capturing Kars in April 1918. At Ani, attempts were made to evacuate the artifacts contained in the museum as Turkish soldiers were approaching the site. About 6,000 of the most portable items were removed by archaeologist Ashkharbek Kalantar , a participant of Marr's excavation campaigns. At
8160-423: The beginning of the 6th century BC, the Armenian Highlands were for some time under the hegemony of the Medes , and after that they were part of the Achaemenid Empire . Armenia was part of the Achaemenid state from the second half of the 6th century BC until the second half of the 4th century BC divided into two satrapies - XIII (western part, with the capital in Melitene ) and XVIII (northeastern part). During
8280-476: The behest of Joseph Orbeli , the saved items were consolidated into a museum collection; they are currently part of the collection of Yerevan's State Museum of Armenian History. Everything that was left behind was later looted or destroyed. Turkey's surrender at the end of World War I led to the restoration of Ani to Armenian control, but a resumed offensive against the Armenian Republic in 1920 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk resulted in Turkey's recapture of Ani. In 1921
8400-426: The boundaries of Assyria reached as far as Armenia and the Caucasus Mountains ), Medes , Achaemenid Empire , Greeks , Parthians , Romans , Sasanian Empire , Byzantine Empire , Arabs , Seljuk Empire , Mongols , Ottoman Empire , the successive Safavid , Afsharid , and Qajar dynasties of Iran, and the Russians. Religion in ancient Armenia was historically related to a set of beliefs that, in Persia, led to
8520-521: The celebrated cathedral of Zvartnots at Vagharshapat . Nikolai Marr uncovered the foundations of this remarkable building in 1905 and 1906. Before that, all that was visible on the site was a huge earthen mound. The designer of the church was the architect Trdat . The church is known to have collapsed a relatively short time after its construction and houses were later constructed on top of its ruins. Trdat's design closely follows that of Zvartnotz in its size and in its plan (a quatrefoil core surrounded by
8640-403: The citadel are the visible ruins of three churches and several unidentified buildings. One of the churches, the "church of the palace" is the oldest surviving church in Ani, dating from the 6th or 7th century. Marr undertook emergency repairs to this church, but most of it has now collapsed – probably during an earthquake in 1966. Armenia Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia ,
8760-479: The city came under attack from the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum whose forces destroyed and pillaged the city however they did not occupy it. The Mongols unsuccessfully besieged Ani in 1226, but in 1236 they captured and sacked the city, massacring large numbers of its population. During Mongol invasion of Georgia in 1238-39 Queen Rusudan had to evacuate Tbilisi for Kutaisi , leaving eastern Georgia in
8880-605: The city of Ani again became part of the Kingdom of Georgia . By the end of the 14th century, the city was ruled by a succession of local Turkish dynasties, including the Jalayrids and the Kara Koyunlu (Black Sheep clan) who made Ani their capital. It was ruined by an earthquake in 1319. Tamerlane captured Ani in the 1380s. On his death the Kara Koyunlu regained control but transferred their capital to Yerevan. In 1441
9000-468: The city was eventually captured and destroyed. Following this disastrous campaign of 1238–1239, the Armenians and Georgians made peace with the Mongols and agreed to pay them tribute and supply their troops ( Georgian–Mongolian treaty of 1239 ). Following the decline of the Il-Khanate , during the later part of the reign of George V (between 1319 and 1335) and the reign of the later king Bagrat V ,
9120-429: The city were professionally excavated, numerous buildings were uncovered and measured, the finds were studied and published in academic journals, guidebooks for the monuments and the museum were written, and the whole site was surveyed for the first time. Emergency repairs were also undertaken on those buildings that were most at risk of collapse. A museum was established to house the tens of thousands of items found during
9240-431: The city, the styles of these churches were developed between the 4th and 8th century AD. Ani is currently classified by UNESCO as a 1st degree archaeological conservation site. This range of protection is continually being enlarged by UNESCO, however, as even Ani's surrounding areas are classified as 3rd-degree archaeological conservation sites. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is the main organization in charge of
9360-689: The conservation of Ani, however, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums also participates in helping with tasks such as restoration . There are also some other local branches in charge of some of the conservation efforts. When inscribing Ani Archaeological Site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the 40th Session of the World Heritage Committee Member States highlighted: "…...the cosmopolitan setting of medieval Ani
9480-462: The deaths of as many as 20,000–30,000 Armenians. The Armenians living in the empire hoped that the Committee of Union and Progress would change their second-class status. The Armenian reform package (1914) was presented as a solution by appointing an inspector general over Armenian issues. The outbreak of World War I led to confrontation between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire in
9600-433: The emergence of Zoroastrianism . It particularly focused on the worship of Mithra and also included a pantheon of gods such as Aramazd , Vahagn , Anahit , and Astghik . The country used the solar Armenian calendar , which consisted of 12 months. Christianity spread into the country in the early 4th century AD. Tiridates III of Armenia (238–314) made Christianity the state religion in 301, partly, in defiance of
9720-547: The end of the war, the victorious powers sought to divide up the Ottoman Empire. Signed between the Allied and Associated Powers and Ottoman Empire at Sèvres on 10 August 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres promised to maintain the existence of the Armenian republic and to attach the former territories of Western Armenia to it. Because the new borders of Armenia were to be drawn by United States President Woodrow Wilson , Western Armenia
9840-484: The excavations. This museum was housed in two buildings: the Minuchihr mosque, and a purpose-built stone building. Armenians from neighboring villages and towns also began to visit the city on a regular basis, and there was even talk by Marr's team of building a school for educating the local Armenian children, building parks, and planting trees to beautify the site. In 1918, during the latter stages of World War I ,
9960-529: The four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus : this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria . Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians ; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini . The first human traces are supported by the presence of Acheulean tools, generally close to the obsidian outcrops more than 1 million years ago. The most recent and important excavation
10080-699: The gorges of the Taurus Mountains and then into Tarsus of Cilicia . The Byzantine governor of the palace gave them shelter where the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was eventually established on 6 January 1198 under Leo I, King of Armenia , a descendant of Prince Ruben. Cilicia was a strong ally of the European Crusaders , and saw itself as a bastion of Christendom in the East. Cilicia's significance in Armenian history and statehood
10200-504: The hands of atabeg Avag Zakarian , Shahnshah Zakarian , and Kakhetian lord, Egarslan Bakurtsikheli. The Mongol general Toghta was sent by Chaghatai to assault Avag's troops at the fortress of Kayan . After some resistance, Avag surrendered, and has to agree to pay tribute to the Mongols, and to provide let his troops join the Mongol army. The combined troops went on to Ani, the Armenian capital being defended by Shahnshah Zakarian , but
10320-414: The important sites of the Early Bronze Age is Shengavit Settlement , It was located on the site of today's capital of Armenia, Yerevan . Such things were discovered in Armenia, for example, the oldest shoe , oldest wagon , oldest skirt , and the oldest wine-making facility . Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the mountains of Ararat . There is evidence of an early civilisation in Armenia in
10440-812: The land of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the Euphrates to the north of the Chaldees to the border of the mountains of Asshur and the land of 'Arara'. Jubilees 8:21 also apportions the Mountains of Ararat to Shem , which Jubilees 9:5 expounds to be apportioned to Aram . The historian Flavius Josephus also states in his Antiquities of the Jews , Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians ;... Of
10560-712: The late 6th century BC, the first geographical entity that was called Armenia by neighbouring populations was established under the Orontid Dynasty within the Achaemenid Empire , as part of the latter's territories. The kingdom became fully sovereign from the sphere of influence of the Seleucid Empire in 190 BC under King Artaxias I and begun the rule of the Artaxiad dynasty . Armenia reached its height between 95 and 66 BC under Tigranes
10680-801: The most notable of which were the Kingdom of Kars , Lori, Syunik , Artsakh , and Vaspurakan . The Bagratuni dynasty led to some of the most notable works of art and architecture in Armenia's history, one of which being the Cathedral of Ani . The leader of the Bagratid dynasty, Ashot Msaker (Ashot the Meateater) (806–827) was given the title of ishkhan (prince) of Armenia by the Caliphate in 804. The Bagratunis had their first capital at Bagaran , some 40 km (25 mi) south of Ani, before moving it to Shirakavan , some 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Ani, and then transferring it to Kars in
10800-449: The name Hayastan trace back to much earlier dates and were first attested in c. 5th century in the works of Agathangelos , Faustus of Byzantium , Ghazar Parpetsi , Koryun , and Sebeos . The name has traditionally been derived from Hayk ( Հայկ ), the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson of Noah , who, according to the 5th-century AD author Moses of Chorene (Movsis Khorenatsi) , defeated
10920-564: The northern forests to be the abode of dangerous beasts. According to the histories of both Moses of Chorene and Michael Chamchian, Armenia derives from the name of Aram , a lineal descendant of Hayk. In the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament , the Table of Nations lists Aram as the son of Shem , to whom the Book of Jubilees attests, And for Aram there came forth the fourth portion, all
11040-758: The patronage of the Georgian Kingdom . The Orbelian Dynasty shared control with the Zakarids in various parts of the country, especially in Syunik and Vayots Dzor , while the House of Hasan-Jalalyan controlled provinces of Artsakh and Utik as the Kingdom of Artsakh. During the 1230s, the Mongol Empire conquered Zakarid Armenia and then the remainder of Armenia. The Mongolian invasions were soon followed by those of other Central Asian tribes, such as
11160-442: The protection of sacred sites) this ancient city "needs to be protected regardless of whose jurisdiction it falls under. Earthquakes in 1319, 1832, and 1988 , all have had devastating effects on the architecture of the city. The city of Ani is a sacred place which needs ongoing protection. " In an October 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage , Global Heritage Fund identified Ani as one of 12 worldwide sites most "On
11280-624: The ravine of the Akhurian River and on its western side by the Bostanlar , or Tsaghkotsadzor, valley. The Akhurian is a branch of the Araks River and forms part of the currently closed border between Turkey and Armenia. The site is at an elevation of around 1,340 meters (4,400 ft). The site is located in the Turkish province of Kars . Kars is currently an important center for local livestock trades and cheese production. It
11400-582: The republic's dissolution in September 2023. The original native Armenian name for the country was Հայք ( [[[wikt:Հայք|Hayk’]]] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ); however, it is currently rarely used. The contemporary name Հայաստան ( Hayastan ) became popular in the Middle Ages by addition of the Persian suffix -stan (place). However the origins of
11520-569: The research conducted by Arnold J. Toynbee , an estimated 600,000 Armenians died during deportation from 1915 to 1916. This figure, however, accounts for solely the first year of the Genocide and does not take into account those who died or were killed after the report was compiled on 24 May 1916. The International Association of Genocide Scholars places the death toll at "more than a million". The total number of people killed has been most widely estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million. Armenia and
11640-458: The ruined city of Ani..." — James Bryce , 1876 In the first half of the 19th century, European travelers discovered Ani for the outside world, publishing their descriptions in academic journals and travel accounts. The private buildings were little more than heaps of stones but grand public buildings and the city's double wall were preserved and reckoned to present "many points of great architectural beauty". Ohannes Kurkdjian produced
11760-633: The same year, a separate treaty was signed between Turkey and the RSFSR , confirming the border between Turkey and the soviet republic of Armenia as it is today. The Russian negotiator Ganeckij of this treaty tried to include Ani into the soviet republic of Armenia, but Karabekir did not agree. During the Cold War , Ani lay on the Turkish- Soviet border, a segment of the Iron Curtain . In
11880-607: The second edition of the Encyclopedia of Islam : "A suggestion has been made that the town may owe its name to a temple of the Iranian goddess Anāhita (the Greek Anaďtis)". The Turkish government previously attempted to obscure the name of the town as Anı in order to give it a "more Turkish character". The city is located on a triangular site, visually dramatic and naturally defensive, protected on its eastern side by
12000-584: The signing of the Treaty of Kars formalized the incorporation of the territory containing Ani into the Republic of Turkey . In May 1921, the government minister Rıza Nur ordered the commander of the Eastern Front, Kazım Karabekir , for the monuments of Ani to "be wiped off the face of the earth." Karabekir records in his memoirs that he has vigorously rejected this command and never carried it out. Some destruction did take place, including most of Marr's excavations and building repairs. In October of
12120-478: The south side of the church, is still partially intact. It dates from the early 13th century. A number of other halls, chapels, and shrines once surrounded this church: Nicholas Marr excavated their foundations in 1909, but they are now mostly destroyed. There is no inscription giving the date of its construction, but an edict in Georgian is dated 1218. The church was referred to as "Georgian". During this period "Georgian" did not simply mean an ethnic Georgian, it had
12240-525: The southern end of Ani is a flat-topped hill once known as Midjnaberd (the Inner Fortress). It has its own defensive walls that date back to the period when the Kamsarakan dynasty ruled Ani (7th century AD). Nicholas Marr excavated the citadel hill in 1908 and 1909. He uncovered the extensive ruins of the palace of the Bagratid kings of Ani that occupied the highest part of the hill. Also inside
12360-533: The streets; one could not go anywhere without stepping over them. And the number of prisoners was not less than 50,000 souls. I was determined to enter the city and see the destruction with my own eyes. I tried to find a street in which I would not have to walk over the corpses; but that was impossible. In 1072, the Seljuks sold Ani to the Shaddadids , a Muslim Kurdish dynasty. The Shaddadids generally pursued
12480-603: The support of the WMF and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Anadolu Kültür brought together experts from worldwide to launch a mobile application which allows virtual exploration of Ani. In March 2015, it was reported that Turkey will nominate Ani to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. The archaeological site of Ani was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 15, 2016. According to art historian Heghnar Zeitlian Watenpaugh
12600-544: The two over the centuries. By the 19th century, Eastern Armenia had been conquered by the Russian Empire , while most of the western parts of the traditional Armenian homeland remained under Ottoman rule. During World War I , up to 1.5 million Armenians living in their ancestral lands in the Ottoman Empire were systematically exterminated in the Armenian genocide . In 1918, following the Russian Revolution , all non-Russian countries declared their independence after
12720-593: The wider goal of creating a "free, independent and unified" Armenia, although they sometimes set aside this goal in favour of a more realistic approach, such as advocating autonomy. The Ottoman Empire began to collapse, and in 1908, the Young Turk Revolution overthrew the government of Sultan Hamid. In April 1909, the Adana massacre occurred in the Adana Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire resulting in
12840-456: The world . This new style, formed when Ani was at its prime, still has a large impact on the current architecture in its region. The second criterion that caused Ani to gain the status of "outstanding universal value" from UNESCO is the fact that "Ani bears exceptional testimony to Armenian cultural, artistic, architectural, and urban design development and it is an extremely extraordinary representation of Armenian religious architecture known as
12960-533: The year 301 became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion . Armenia still recognises the Armenian Apostolic Church , the world's oldest national church , as the country's primary religious establishment. The ancient Armenian kingdom was split between the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires around the early 5th century. Under the Bagratuni dynasty ,
13080-482: The year 929. In 961, king Ashot III (953–77) transferred the capital from Kars to Ani. Ani expanded rapidly during the reign of King Smbat II (977–89). In 992 the Armenian Catholicosate moved its seat to Ani. In the 10th century the population was perhaps 50,000–100,000. By the start of the eleventh century the population of Ani was well over 100,000, and its renown was such that it was known as
13200-612: Was also referred to as " Wilsonian Armenia ". In addition, just days prior, on 5 August 1920, Mihran Damadian of the Armenian National Union, the de facto Armenian administration in Cilicia, declared the independence of Cilicia as an Armenian autonomous republic under French protectorate. There was even consideration of making Armenia a mandate under the protection of the United States. The treaty, however,
13320-520: Was built as a private chapel for the Pahlavuni family. Their mausoleum, built in 1040 and now reduced to its foundations, was constructed against the northern side of the church. The church has a centralised plan, with a dome over a drum, and the interior has six exedera . Also known as the Gagikashen, this church was constructed between the years 1001 and 1005 and intended to be a recreation of
13440-461: Was completed shortly after the year 1035. It had a unique design: 19-sided externally, 8-apsed internally, with a huge central dome set upon a tall drum. It was built by Prince Ablgharib Pahlavid to house a fragment of the True Cross . The church was largely intact until 1955, when the entire eastern half collapsed during a storm. This small building probably dates from the late 10th century. It
13560-567: Was divided up into three separate entities ( Armenian SSR , Azerbaijan SSR , and Georgian SSR ). Armenians enjoyed a period of relative stability within USSR in contrast to the turbulent final years of the Ottoman Empire. The situation was difficult for the church, which struggled with secular policies of USSR . After the death of Vladimir Lenin , Joseph Stalin , the general secretary of the Communist Party , gradually established himself as
13680-412: Was halted after his death, and was only finished in 1001 (or in 1010 under another reading of its building inscription). The design of the cathedral was the work of Trdat , the most celebrated architect of medieval Armenia. The cathedral is a domed basilica (the dome collapsed in 1319). The interior contains several progressive features (such as the use of pointed arches and clustered piers) that give to it
13800-606: Was incorporated as a marzpanate within the Sasanian Empire . Following the Battle of Avarayr in 451, Christian Armenians maintained their religion and Armenia gained autonomy. The Sassanid Empire was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate in the mid 7th century, reuniting Armenian lands previously taken by the Byzantine Empire , and Armenia subsequently emerged as Arminiya , an autonomous principality under
13920-821: Was incorporated into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as part of the Transcaucasian SFSR (TSFSR) on 4 March 1922. With this annexation, the Treaty of Alexandropol was superseded by the Turkish-Soviet Treaty of Kars . In the agreement, Turkey allowed the Soviet Union to assume control over Adjara with the port city of Batumi in return for sovereignty over the cities of Kars , Ardahan , and Iğdır , all of which were part of Russian Armenia. The TSFSR existed from 1922 to 1936, when it
14040-424: Was local Armenian resistance in the region, developed against the activities of the Ottoman Empire. The events of 1915 to 1917 are regarded by Armenians and the vast majority of Western historians to have been state-sponsored mass killings, or genocide. Turkish authorities deny the genocide took place to this day. The Armenian Genocide is acknowledged to have been one of the first modern genocides . According to
14160-629: Was recaptured by the Shaddadids. In the year 1199, Georgia's Queen Tamar captured Ani and in 1201 gave the governorship of the city to the generals Zakare and Ivane . Zakare was succeeded by his son Shanshe (Shahnshah). Zakare's new dynasty — the Zakarids — considered themselves to be the successors to the Bagratids. Prosperity quickly returned to Ani; its defences were strengthened and many new churches were constructed. In 1217 and 1220,
14280-589: Was rejected by the Turkish National Movement , and never came into effect. The movement used the treaty as the occasion to declare itself the rightful government of Turkey , replacing the monarchy based in Istanbul with a republic based in Ankara . In 1920, Turkish nationalist forces invaded the fledgling Armenian republic from the east. Turkish forces under the command of Kazım Karabekir captured Armenian territories that Russia had annexed in
14400-538: Was ruled by the Bagratuni dynasty and lasted until 1045. In time, several areas of the Bagratid Armenia separated as independent kingdoms and principalities such as the Kingdom of Vaspurakan ruled by the House of Artsruni in the south, Kingdom of Syunik in the east, or Kingdom of Artsakh on the territory of modern Nagorno-Karabakh , while still recognising the supremacy of the Bagratid kings. In 1045,
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