Ani Archaeological Site
Ani Ören Yeri
The capital of the medieval Armenian Bagratid dynasty, whose ruins, known as the 'City of a Thousand Churches,' stand in a border gorge.
Ani lies about 45 kilometers east of Kars, on the edge of the Akhuryan River gorge. Across the river is Armenia. In the 10th and 11th centuries, this was the capital of the Bagratid dynasty, with a population that once reached 100,000. It was known as the 'City of a Thousand Churches' and was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2016. Scattered across the open land are the Cathedral of Ani, the Church of St. Gregory of Tigran Honents, the Church of the Holy Savior, the Manuchehr Mosque, and long city walls. A full visit takes more than 3 hours. Admission is a little over ten euros. There is no public bus, so you can hire a taxi or join a small tour from Kars.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–19:00 (until 17:00 in winter)
Nearby sights
- Kars Museum
- Doğu Express (Kars Station)
- Fethiye Mosque
- Caucasus Front War History Museum
- Russian-era Old Town (Baltic Architecture)
- Kars Cheese Museum
- Church of the Holy Apostles (Kümbet Mosque)
- Taşköprü (Stone Bridge)