Ani Walls

Located in the southeast of Kars within the borders of Ocaklı Village, the historic Ani is now a ruins with touristic value... Ani's walls, which are located on the trade route called the Silk Road in the Middle Ages and play a key role on the route of transition from the Caucasus to Anatolian geography, are important within the scope of the history of urbanism the. Ani Walls, the first system of it completed in 964 a defensive aimed structure, stands out with its plan close to the triangle. The walls have 7 entrances named like Liongate, Kars Gate, Cistern Gate, are built on the basis of terrain conditions and defense strategies can be stated. The walls, built relatively simplely at the point of the steep cliffs that provide natural protection, were built in a stronger structure in the parts overlooking Yavşan and Javelin, where the attacks were more likely to come. On some facade, deep trenches were also not forgotten. Various motifs, decorations and reliefs stand out on the walls, which also include numerous towers used with the supply tank function to support long-term defense. Seljuk tile decorations are also found on the walls where mainly lion, cross and snake shapes can be seen. With walls of up to 8 meters in height and towers close to 20 meters, the Ani Walls remain visually grace, even centuries later, even though it was damaged, especially during the 12th-century Mongolian invasion. Ani Walls, about an hour from the city center, are especially waiting for art history and cultural tourism enthusiasts.