From Isak Pasa we travelled onwards through more desolate countryside to Ani our next extremely remote historical site. This was as far East as we would go on our fabulous tour.
The ruined city of Ani, set along the Barley River, is very close to the border of Armenia. It is an absolutely huge impressive historical site and certainly needs a whole day and a lot of walking to do it justice. The site contains remnants of Armenian architecture including the city walls and the ruins of many churches and mosques. In fact, between 990 and 1020 it was known as "the city of a thousand and one churches." Unfortunately, it was sacked by the Turks in 1064. After a slight recovery it was razed by an earthquake in 1319.
This site can be very taxing because of the amount of walking needed and the extreme heat in summer. Also it is usually snow bound in winter so it is best to visit in late spring, summer (for the hardy) or early autumn. However, it is well worth the visit if you have the transport to get there.
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| Ani Cathedral |
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| Ani is an incredible desolate site |
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| Church of St Gregory |
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| Remains of the City Walls |
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| Remains of the Barley River Bridge |
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| Just where is Tom! |
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| Some of our group wandering around absorbing the history. |
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| More of the City Walls |
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| Ani is a huge remote site. |
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