Ancient Ani Kars, 2009 - 2011

Situated on a high plateau overlooking the Arpaçay valley, approximately 42 kilometres east of Kars along the border between Türkiye and Armenia, Ani is one of Anatolia's most remarkable historic cities. Today, this once-thriving settlement lies silent amid the vast steppe. For centuries, it was an important centre of trade and artistic life where different peoples, religions and cultures met.

Ani's history reaches far beyond its splendour as a medieval capital. One of its most intriguing remains is the so-called Fire Temple, or Ateşgede, associated with Zoroastrian belief. The structure, of which four massive stone columns survive, may date from the first to fourth centuries CE, although a later dating to the Sasanian period has also been proposed. Excavated by Nikolai Marr in 1909, it is thought to have been converted into a small Christian chapel in a later period. These modest remains, which I photographed, suggest that Ani also preserves traces of religious traditions predating Christianity in the region.

Ani's great rise began in 961, when it became the capital of the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom. Its position on the Silk Road brought prosperity and cultural vitality. During the tenth and eleventh centuries, Ani developed into a major city, with imposing fortifications, palaces, markets, churches and public buildings. Its citadel, walled residential quarters and commercial districts reflected a sophisticated urban layout.

Ani's architectural heritage reveals the influence of different civilisations on one another. The great Cathedral, the Church of Tigran Honents, the churches dedicated to Saint Gregory and other religious buildings are outstanding examples of Armenian stone craftsmanship and medieval architecture. Built of volcanic stone in shades of red and black, these monuments are notable for both their monumental forms and their intricate details. Trdat, the architect of Ani Cathedral, was among the leading architects of his time.

One of the notable buildings in my photographs is the eleventh-century Church of the Holy Saviour (Surp Prkich). Approximately half of this circular church still stands. A major collapse in 1957 destroyed much of the building, leaving the striking half-shell that has become one of Ani's most recognisable sights. Nearby lies a large stone fragment bearing an Armenian inscription. These remains testify to the church's history as well as its architectural character.

Ani came under Byzantine rule in 1045 and was captured by the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan in 1064. It remained significant under the Shaddadids and, later, Georgian rule. The Mosque of Manuchihr, buildings from different periods and the remains of the historic bridge across the Arpaçay bear witness to the city's layered past. Christian and Islamic architecture standing within the same settlement reflects Ani's cultural diversity.

The Mongol invasion in the thirteenth century, the major earthquake of 1319 and the gradual shift of trade routes accelerated Ani's decline. Its population dwindled, and over the centuries the city was abandoned. The surviving monuments, ruined walls, columns and scattered masonry are all that remain of what was once a bustling urban centre.

I photographed Ani in 2009 and 2011. What affected me most was the solitude and abandonment of a great city that had once been home to thousands of people and a flourishing commercial and cultural life. Churches rising from the steppe, broken walls and stones scattered across the landscape created a striking contrast between the grandeur of the past and the silence of the present.

Ani's location on the Armenian border also shaped the conditions under which it could be visited. For many years, security restrictions in the border area required visitors to obtain official permission. This requirement was later lifted, making Ani more accessible. My photographs from 2009 and 2011 document the site before its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. Although archaeological conservation and restoration continue today, in my memory Ani remains, above all, a deserted city bearing the traces of its past.