Pilgrimage to Turkey: Ani the "City of 1001 Churches" ...

Ani from the outside

This one-time wealthy and powerful Armenian capital city and trading hub has suffered a terrible, violent and bloody history with dreadful massacres of its overwhelmingly Christian citizens. 

It was attacked and sacked respectively by both Byzantine and Seljuk Turkish armies and later suffered terribly at the hands of the Mongols in 1236 from which time it started its gradual decline. The site had been entirely abandoned by the middle of the 18th century. (As with all this area, the history is complex and much more can be found on the internet - see also my own historical summary of the region posted a couple of days ago) 

Over the years earthquakes, (in 1319, 1832, and 1988), vandalism, neglect, earthquakes, amateurish restorations and excavations have all taken their toll on this amazing site of Ani. The Turks blame the Armenians for damaging some of the monuments by quarry blasting across on the other side of the gorge. The quarry is clearly visible. The Armenians accuse the Turks of neglect and there is talk of deliberate “cultural cleansing”. Until quite recently tourists needed to obtain special permission to visit from the tourist office in Kars and photography was strictly not allowed. 

In about 2004 these restrictions were relaxed, and it would also seem that Turkey is now committed to trying to conserve and develop this site. 

The Church of the Holy Redeemer being restored

There was evidence of current conservation at the time of our visit, apparently being undertaken by the World MonumentsFund in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of Culture. 

This is the Church of the Holy Redeemer. It was completed around 1035 and has a unique design: 19-sided externally, 8-apsed internally, with a huge central dome set upon a tall drum. Sadly in 1955 the whole Eastern side collapsed in a storm.

I really hope and pray that this important heritage can be preserved sympathetically for future generations as a reminder of such an important historical past.There is no shortage of information available about the site, in guide books, websites and web reviews from the many travellers who are drawn to this important place. Most stress that it takes 4 or 5 hours to do it justice, (I would say longer is needed) and advise carrying a picnic and a water bottle. For us it was cold, but at least sunny, and when we visited a perfectly adequate restaurant near the site was open for lunch time refreshment.

remains of an oil press at Ani

During the morning we wondered all over the ruins, visiting not only the said church of St Gregory, but also exploring the massive cathedral (or church of the Holy Mother of God, started in 989 but not finished for another 12 or so years), the mosque of Minuchir and the Citadel, the highest point, from where we had a panoramic view of the whole area. I was personally fascinated by the ruins of the houses, with fireplaces, niches for ornaments perhaps, evidence of a chapel perhaps and signs of an underfloor heating system.

Inside the massive cathedral, or Church of the Holy Mother of God

evidence of a chapel among the dwellings?

ruins of dwellings Ani

remnants of bridge in arpa cayi gorge

There is a map of the site at Wiki which shows just how many churches there are at this important ancient stronghold of Armenian Christianity. Clearly very much more needs to be done to discover, chart, research and conserve this wonderful place.
I have a few more stories of Ani to come, before we make our way south via Mt. Ararat and Lake Van on our way to the Tur Abdin region and the Syriac Orthodox monasteries ....

Pilgrimage to Turkey: the Ancient Armenian City of Ani

exterior animal carvings on Church of St Gregory Ani 

I mentioned already that it was sometimes difficult to remember on this trip that we were pilgrims first, not tourists.
We were urged regularly by our long-suffering leaders that the first thing we should do at each place visited was to be quiet, reflective and prayerful. 
Photos could follow later. It has to be said that we didn’t always remember this advice. 

But once inside the church of St Gregory, commissioned by the wealthy Armenian merchant Tigran Honents, finished in 1215 AD and easily the best preserved monument at Ani, the pilgrim in us took over completely. The interior was simply fabulous, adorned with the most beautiful frescoes, which depict the life of Christ, the life of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and scenes from the life of St. Nino, who converted the Georgians to Christianity. In the narthex or outer lobby area and its chapel fragmentary frescoes survive that are more Byzantine in style. The church is tucked away down the side of the gorge and hidden from immediate view from the main path. It meant a bit of a clamber down a reasonable pathway that sadly some found too challenging; because the rewards were great. The exterior of the church is also quite simply stunning. Its setting nestled into the side of the cliff down into the deep gorge is special enough. But it is decorated on all its four sides with ornate stone carvings of animals, both real and imaginary which were quite marvellous. As I gazed in delight at these wonders, my attention was caught by the most haunting and beautiful sound coming from inside the church. I listened outside for a while, captivated.

The church of St Gregory, Ani 

Then I forgot my camera and hastened to the doorway. There within was a member of our group, a deacon from Iraq, singing something that brought me out in goose bumps.
The sound was captivating, and a deeply spiritual moment for me and I suspect for many others. It was only afterwards when he had finished that I learnt he was singing the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. None of us really wanted to spoil this moment for quite some while as we all stood, united as pilgrims, to reflect on the past history of this place, full of reminders of the glories of Armenian Christianity in another age long ago.

 The ensuing and deeply spiritual silence in this beautiful church was finally brought to a gentle finale by the bishop leading us in saying the Kyries;
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy. And we all stumbled out from the gloom into the light with tears in the eyes of more than a few of us.

There is simply no shortage of information available about this site, in guide books, websites and web reviews from the many travellers who are drawn to this important place. Most stress that it takes 4 or 5 hours to do it justice, and advise carrying a picnic and a water bottle. For us it was cold, but at least sunny, and there is a perfectly adequate restaurant off site for lunch time refreshment.

During the morning we wondered all over the ruins, visiting not only the said church of St Gregory, but also exploring the massive cathedral (or church of the Holy Mother of God, started in 989 but not finished for another 12 or so years), the Church of the Holy Apostles, the mosque of Minuchir and the Citadel, the highest point, from where we had a panoramic view of the whole area. I was personally fascinated by the ruins of the houses, with fireplaces, niches for ornaments perhaps, and signs of an underfloor heating system.


More about all this tomorrow with lots more photos of Ani....

more of the outside of the church of St Gregory of Tigran Honents at Ani