Fig. Marr, Nikolai Y. Required fields are marked *. "Ani after Ani: Eleventh to Seventeenth Centuries", in. Closer to the steep bank of the river, or rather, the stream of Ani, is a rock of tuff with a plurality of caves. It may have served as "urban sprawl" when Ani grew too large for its city walls. [24], In 1072, the Seljuks sold Ani to the Shaddadids, a Muslim Kurdish dynasty. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The outpost of Kharkov offers an excellent view, but access is restricted by border troops and Russian military personnel. It quite suits the conditions of Markov’s trip. It is easily carved and comes in a variety of vibrant colors, from creamy yellow, to rose-red, to jet black. In 1878, the Ottoman Empire's Kars region—including Ani—was incorporated into the Russian Empire's Transcaucasian region. It was built during the rule of the Zakarids and was commissioned by the wealthy Armenian merchant Tigran Honents. Armenienne, chretien, apostolique armenienne, cathedrale, orthodoxe orientale, orthodoxe, ottoman, empire ottoman, ottoman empire, la reconnaissance, Turque, frontiere entre la Turquie Armenie, ancienne capitale, capitale armenienne, capitale armenienne ancienne, detruit, batiment, architecture, batiment armenienne, architecture religieuse, design interieur, Republique Armenie, History, photography, photographie, Alfred Yaghobzadeh. The minaret with Kufic lines was not the only one in Ani. [63], Songs and poems have been written about Ani and its past glory. Under this case they are trying to find funds from UNESCO. The church is known to have collapsed a relatively short time after its construction and houses were later constructed on top of its ruins. Situated along a major east-west caravan route, Ani first rose to prominence in the 5th century ad and had become a flourishing town by The Turks retort that Ani's remains have been shaken by blasts from a quarry on the Armenian side of the border. 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. During over its thousand-year history the city was destroyed by multiple earthquakes. But what could inflame in stone ruins? Everything that was left behind was later looted or destroyed. The interior contains several progressive features (such as the use of pointed arches and clustered piers) that give to it the appearance of Gothic architecture (a style which the Ani cathedral predates by several centuries). -Enceinte d'Ani d'après Texier. Ani never recovered from a devastating 1319 earthquake, and was gradually abandoned until it was largely forgotten by the 17th century. 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. [34] 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 resulted in Turkey's recapture of Ani. [18], The city took its name from the Armenian fortress-city and pagan center of Ani-Kamakh located in the region of Daranaghi in Upper Armenia. Ani. Under Russian laws for such an action, this priest would be exiled to Siberia and the press would certainly write about it even before Markov would have reached this information. Carte d'Ani. Today, goats and sheep take advantage of the caves' cool interiors. Turkey. What’s his name?  Russian Empire 1878-1918 And now I will tell you something that you, dear readers, might consider quite fantastic. It is located on a rock beautifully bent by a river. Vers l'an 885, la dynastie bagratide s'impose en Arménie, et l'indépendance du pays est alors reconnue. The Russian negotiator Ganeckij of this treaty tried to include Ani into the soviet republic of Armenia, but Karabekir did not agree. Ani. In the 10th century the population was perhaps 50,000–100,000. Today, according to Lonely Planet and Frommer's travel guides to Turkey: Official permission to visit Ani is no longer needed. The city of Ani is a sacred place which needs ongoing protection. During this period "Georgian" did not simply mean an ethnic Georgian, it had a denominational meaning and would have designated all those in Ani who professed the Chalcedonian faith, mostly Armenians. In the centuries that followed, Ani and the surrounding region were conquered hundreds of times. Let’s try to figure out what happened after all. [33] [16][15] Ani is a widely recognized cultural, religious, and national heritage symbol for Armenians. Only the circle of the foundation and the bottom of the supporting column are sticking out. [67], Ruined medieval Armenian city situated in the Turkish province of Kars, The ruins of Ani as seen from the Armenian side. [38] In October of 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. However, the Kemalistic regime of Turkey made the most contribution to this matter in 20th century, but more on this later. [6] Ohannes Kurkdjian produced stereoscopic image of Ani in the 2nd half of the 19th century. This lie is so absurd that it seems ridiculous to try to refute it. I kept trying to find images of destruction of buildings by lightning on the Internet, but I couldn’t find anything. One of the churches, the "church of the palace" is the oldest surviving church in Ani, dating from the 6th or 7th century. La cathédrale est située en 1. And the number of prisoners was not less than 50,000 souls. [42], During the Cold War, and until 2004, a permit from the Turkish Ministry of Culture was required. [29] Emergency repairs were also undertaken on those buildings that were most at risk of collapse. Between 961 and 1045, it was the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom that covered much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey. Ruins of a church and citadel in Ani, Tur. Its construction was completed in 1001. Founded more than 1,600 years ago, Ani was situated on several trade routes, and grew to become a walled city of more than 100,000 residents by the 11th century. At 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. Marr undertook emergency repairs to this church, but most of it has now collapsed – probably during an earthquake in 1966. [17] According to Razmik Panossian, Ani is one of the most visible and ‘tangible’ symbols of past Armenian greatness and hence a source of pride. Their mausoleum, built in 1040 and now reduced to its foundations, was constructed against the northern side of the church. What conclusion would probably most of us make in this situation? The city became filled from one end to the other with bodies of the slain and [the bodies of the slain] became a road. 28/06/2016 [14][clarification needed] Ani was also previously known as Khnamk (Խնամք), although historians are uncertain as to why it was called so. [19] Their leader, Ashot Msaker (Ashot the Meateater) (806–827) was given the title of ishkhan (prince) of Armenia by the Caliphate in 804. In the centuries that followed, Ani and the surrounding region were conquered hundreds of times. And I’ll also tell you about some Turkish lies. Some say that this minaret was overturned by the last earthquake that destroyed or damaged high stone buildings in many localities of the Caucasus, and even in Tiflis (now Tbilisi, capital city of Georgia) itself, according to Markov’s article “Russian Armenia. Contemporary chroniclers wrote that King Smbat (977–989) built these walls. Work was halted after his death, and was only finished in 1001 (or in 1010 under another reading of its building inscription). Simple tourists, onlookers who came here on an excursion will easily believe this inscription as they are used to trusting hundreds of descriptions of attractions around the world. It would be an understatement to say that the cathedral is huge. Kingdom of Georgia 1124-1236 In 45 km from Kars, on the very border of the Republic of Armenia are the ruins of the once great medieval city of Ani, the capital of the Ani kingdom. "[36] Karabekir records in his memoirs that he has vigorously rejected this command and it has never been carried out. Ani lies east of Kars and along the Arpaçay (Akhuryan) River, which forms the border with Armenia to the east. [22], Ani attained the peak of its power during the long reign of King Gagik I (989–1020). 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. [14] They described it as a strong fortress built on a hilltop and a possession of the Armenian Kamsarakan dynasty. ANI, CAPITALE DE L'ARMENIE EN L'AN MIL (Ani… "Tesnem Anin u nor mernem" (Տեսնեմ Անին ու նոր մեռնեմ, Let me see Ani before I die) is a famous poem by Hovhannes Shiraz. La dernière modification de cette page a été faite le 7 juillet 2020 à 11:59. [25] The first three times, it was recaptured by the Shaddadids. It was founded by the Pahlavuni family and was used by the archbishops of Ani (many of whom belonged to that dynasty). The street leads us to the destroyed minaret. Portail de l’architecture et de l’urbanisme, https://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cathédrale_d%27Ani&oldid=172708475, Page avec coordonnées similaires sur Wikidata, Catégorie Commons avec lien local identique sur Wikidata, Identifiant Structurae différent sur Wikidata, Portail:Architecture et urbanisme/Articles liés, Portail:Religions et croyances/Articles liés, licence Creative Commons attribution, partage dans les mêmes conditions, comment citer les auteurs et mentionner la licence. The new king of Ani, Gagik II (1042–45), opposed this and several Byzantine armies sent to capture Ani were repulsed. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. So, according to the Turkish version, some crazy Armenian priest in the beginning of 20th century, but no later than 1900 (funny, isn’t it?) 28/06/2016, Mots clés : Armenia, Ani, Kars, Turkey, border, Ancient, Armenian Apostolic, Cathedral, Oriental Orthodox, Orthodox, cross, carved on stone, croix, sculpte sur la pierre, pierre, red, flower, fleur, rouge, recognition, 1915, genocide, Republic of Armenia, mythical, church, religious, holy, spirituality, travel, myth, religion, sacred church, pilgrimage, traditional culture, Middle East, famous place, tourism, faith, Christian pilgrims, Eastern Orthodoxy, Christian pilgrimage, Christian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, pray, prayer, Armenien, Eastern Christians, Eastern Christianity, Chretiens Orient, Eglise, religieux, saint, foi, spiritualite, christianisme, sanctuaire, eglise sacree, pelerinage, basilique, culture traditionnelle, Moyen Orient, Proche Orient, prier, priere, pelerin chretien, Armenie. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... What is the only major world capital named after a religion? The surviving churches and the remnants of the city walls attest to the extraordinary quality of Armenian stonework during the Middle Ages. La cathédrale Sainte-Mère-de-Dieu est une cathédrale arménienne ruinée située dans les ruines de l'ancienne capitale arménienne d'Ani, en Turquie (ancienne Arménie occidentale), à 500 m environ de la frontière avec l'Arménie. Armenian chroniclers such as Yeghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi first mentioned Ani in the 5th century. 3. At last, Zoroastrian fire temple, the most ancient building of Ani, constructed in pre-Christian times. Once again, let’s admire the beautiful construction of the Middle Ages, which, even in ruins, has not lost its majesty. L'église est dédiée à la Sainte Mère de Dieu ; en arménien : Սուրբ Աստուածածին Եկեղեցի (Surp Asduadzadzin Egeghets’i). Début 2019, elle est pourtant toujours laissée à l'abandon par les autorités turques. In 961, the Armenian king Ashot III brings the capital from Kars here. The Manuchihr Mosque. Later rulers strengthened Smbat's walls by making them substantially higher and thicker, and by adding more towers. I also approached to take one as well. After his death his two sons quarreled over the succession. [54] Its plan is of a type called a domed hall. The site is at an elevation of around 1,340 meters (4,400 ft).[7]. Turks removed the cross from it and buried it at the entrance, so that those who entered would trample it. [61], A line of walls that encircled the entire city defended Ani. This museum was housed in two buildings: the Minuchihr mosque, and a purpose-built stone building. So, Turks should remove their cheap propaganda and explain why Armenian architectural monuments were shot during military training in 1950s. [20] The Bagratunis had their first capital at Bagaran, some 40 km south of Ani, before moving it to Shirakavan, some 25 km northeast of Ani, and then transferring it to Kars in the year 929. It dates from the early 13th century. [14] Ani was also the diminutive of the ancient goddess Anahit, who was seen as the mother protector of Armenia.  Byzantine Empire 1045-1064 The Church of Saint Gregory of Tigran Honents, Ani is one of the most popular female given names in Armenia. The city reaches its apogee, as it was inhabited by more than 100 thousand people. I was determined to enter city and see the destruction with my own eyes. Sadly, wars and hostile invasion forces put a definite end to its prosperity. He told me that when he had been here a few years ago when he met an elderly local resident, who was a child when trainings had occurred. In 1441 the Armenian Catholicosate did the same. 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. [64][65] Ara Gevorgyan's 1999 album of folk instrumental songs is titled Ani. Timurid Empire 1380s-1430s Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! It was ruined by an earthquake in 1319. In front of its entrance are the ruins of a narthex and a small chapel that are from a slightly later period. Nicholas Marr excavated the citadel hill in 1908 and 1909. Transcaucasian DFR 1918 La cathédrale est architecturalement complexe : une petite arcature aveugle à fines colonnes orne le monument sur tout son long ; des arcs plus importants parent les fenêtres, assez petites ; les grandes ouvertures entourent des grands bandeaux d'entrelacs. Here is a fragment lying in a considerable distance from the church: Now the story itself. Church of St. Gregory of the Abughamrents; in the background is the citadel. Ani's recent history has been one of continuous and always increasing destruction. On the way we see ruins of several churches and chapels. I do not know when the photo presented here has been taken, but the destroyed part of the building is intact. Le 19 septembre 2010, la cathédrale arménienne Sainte-Croix d'Aghtamar (lac de Van) reçoit sa première messe chrétienne en 95 ans. [39], During the Cold War, Ani lied on the Turkish-Soviet border, a segment of the Iron Curtain. The eldest son, Hovhannes-Smbat (1020–41), gained control of Ani while his younger brother, Ashot IV (1020–40), controlled other parts of the Bagratuni kingdom. [6] An account of the sack and massacres in Ani is given by the Arab historian Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, who quotes an eyewitness saying: Putting the Persian sword to work, they spared no one... One could see there the grief and calamity of every age of human kind. Let me remind you, that in those years this place was part of the Russian Empire. Although the population estimate made in the Middle Ages of about 100,000 in the early 11th century is unreliable, Ani was substantial in its size and magnificence. Judging by the atlas of the ruins of Ani, published in 1860 by a well-known archaeologist and connoisseur of the Caucasus, Marie-Félicité Brosset and genuine pictures of Kestner, in the middle of Ani, not far from the main cathedral, there was still another similar, but even taller minaret. 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". Republic of Armenia 1918-1920 Ornate stone carvings of real and imaginary animals fill the spandrels between blind arcade that runs around all four sides of the church. The Russian traveler Yevgeny Markov, who has been quoted here many times, comes to the rescue. [7] 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). Church of the Holy Apostles. [60], At the southern end of Ani is a flat-topped hill once known as Midjnaberd (the Inner Fortress). Nikolai Marr uncovered the foundations of this remarkable building in 1905 and 1906. En 1319, un séisme détruit la coupole. Ani se trouve à la limite précise de la frontière arménienne, à 45 mn de voiture de Kars. He threw his sheep, ran to the road, caught a bus and rushed to Kars to the military, screaming that Ani had become tank battlefield after an attack by Soviets. In 1921 the signing of the Treaty of Kars formalized the incorporation of the territory containing Ani into the Republic of Turkey. It's not a bad idea to bring a picnic lunch and a water bottle. The Persian Safavids then ruled Ani until it became part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1579. In 45 km from Kars, on the very border of the Republic of Armenia are the ruins of the once great medieval city of Ani, the capital of the Ani kingdom. After the kingdom collapsed, Ani experienced a long history of war, looting, vandalism, capture, and transfer of power. "Ani, La Ville Arménniene en Ruines", Chelae on the Asian coast of the Bosphorus, Chelae on the European coast of the Bosphorus, "Անիի ճարտարապետությունը [Architecture of Ani]", "Building a dialogue atop old ruins of Ani", "VirtualANI – Dedicated to the Deserted Medieval Armenian City of Ani", "Ani, a Disputed City Haunted by History", "Recent Publication Highlights Complexities of Uncovering the History of the Medieval City of Ani", The God-Borne Days of Ani: A Revealing Look at the Former Medieval Armenian Capital of Armenia at the Turn of the 20th Century, "Caucasus: Ancient City of Ani Is So Close, Yet So Far", "THE PERMIT FOR VISITING ANI, and the process to obtain it", "Global Heritage in the Peril: Sites on the Verge", "Pictures: 12 Ancient Landmarks on Verge of Vanishing", "Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and World Monuments Fund Collaborate on Historic Conservation Project in Eastern Turkey", "Work ongoing to put Ani on UNESCO heritage list", "Five sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List", "Ani Included on UNESCO World Heritage List", "The church of St. Gregory of Tigran Honents", "The church of St. Gregory of the Abughamir family", "Forums / Հայկական Երգերի Շտեմարան / Հայաստան – Կրթական Տեխնոլոգիաների Ազգային Կենտրոն", "Preserving the Medieval City of Ani: Cultural Heritage between Contest and Reconciliation", Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 360 Degree Virtual Tour Ani Armenian Cathedral, World Monuments Fund/Turkish Ministry of Culture Ani Cathedral conservation project, World Monuments Fund/Turkish Ministry of Culture Church of the Holy Savior/Redeemer conservation project, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ani&oldid=980778987, Buildings and structures in Kars Province, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from EB9, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with Armenian-language sources (hy), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Armenian-language text, Articles containing Ancient Greek-language text, Articles containing Turkish-language text, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from June 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2014, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 September 2020, at 11:52. Just go to Ani and buy a ticket. On their bad English Turks are informing us that in the beginning of 20th century an Armenian priest blew up the minaret. In 2010 there was even a Friday salah (“Muslim prayer”). Founded more than 1,600 years ago, Ani was situated on several trade routes, and grew to become a walled city of more than 100,000 residents by the 11th century. Des fresques décorent les murs. [14][15], Renowned for its splendor, Ani was sacked by the Mongols in 1236. A Byzantine governor was installed in the city. [14], Ani did not lie along any previously important trade routes, but because of its size, power, and wealth it became an important trading hub. Marr's excavations at Ani resumed in 1904 and continued yearly until 1917. [44] Permission to visit is granted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yerevan for free and takes one week. Surnommée la « Cité aux mille églises » elle est entourée de ravins sur son bord sud et d’une double série de remparts au nord. [32], In 1918, during the latter stages of World War I, 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. But, in the same year Mr. Markov came to the scene, saw a fallen minaret and was told by local people that this had been a result of a long-standing earthquake. Ani (Armenian: Անի; Greek: Ἄνιον, Ánion;[5] Latin: Abnicum;[6][7] Turkish: Ani)[8] is a ruined medieval Armenian city now situated in Turkey's province of Kars, next to the closed border with Armenia. Zakarid Armenia 1201-1360 By 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. In 13th century it was ruined by the Mongols, thus giving a start to the fall of Ani. How much work was invested in the creation of these monuments! La cathédrale occupe un emplacement au centre du site d'Ani, capitale de l'ancien royaume d'Arménie vers l'an 1000. [50] According to art historian Heghnar Zeitlian Watenpaugh the addition "would secure significant benefits in protection, research expertise, and funding."[51]. [21] By the start of the eleventh century the population of Ani was well over 100,000,[citation needed] and its renown was such that it was known as the "city of forty gates" and the "city of a thousand and one churches." Across the border is the Armenian village of Kharkov, part of Shirak Province. The first sight was the only surviving wall of Georgian church, built presumably in the 11th century.