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ANN/GROONG - The Ruins of Ani
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The Ruins of Ani
by Roni Askey-Doran
Mersina (Turkish Newspaper)
June 13, 2000
Kars is set in a perpetually moving sea of dry grass. The flat,
wind blown plains around the town provide the agricultural
means to support the farming villages sacattered around its
outskirts. The scenery in this district is breathtaking, an
endless vista of lofty mountains and fertile valleys surrounds
Kars from every direction and when night falls suddenly on the
high mountain peaks, the world becomes an impenetrable black,
studded by stars so bright they appear to be close enough to
reach out and touch.
It is here, in this eastern region, that the first camouflaged
and sandbagged military checkpoints and identity controls have
all traffic on the road stopped and heavily armed soldiers and
police ask interminable questions about who is going where and
why. Tourists in the area are expected to show their passports and
explain why they are there. The soldiers and police I met on my
travels were a friendly bunch, just as intrigued as the villagers
about foreign travellers and happy to have an opportunity to
practice their English and enquire about the latest happennings
in Istanbul. They are amused to hear that tourists consider the
region interesting and beautiful as each one of them can count
exactly how many days he has left in this remote outpost until
he can go home. Travellers are usually told to be careful and
sent on their way with a wave and a friendly smile.
Kars sits sleepily in the centre of the breezy plains at an
altitude of 1750 m. This little eastern province once played an
important role in Turkish history, being right in the centre
of the Russo-Turkish war in 1877-78. Kars was ceded to Russia
by the defeated Ottoman Army at the conclusion of the war and
returned to Turkey by a treaty signed at Brest-Litovsk in 1918.
Although the Russians constructed many buildings and the wide
avenues, really not all that much has changed within the last
1000 years.
The 10th Century Church of the Apostles, now the Havariler Museum,
has a fine display of colourful bas-reliefs including the twelve
apostles, posing in cramped and awkwardly artificial positions,
in the exterior drum of the dome. Kars is also renowned for
its production of distinctive hand-made woollen carpets and
intricately designed hand-woven kilims in rich colours and
warm tones with traditional motifs made with coarse, thick wool
produced in the pastures around Kars.
A visit to Ani, 45 km east of Kars on the Armenian border, is
the main reason for coming here and well worth the time consuming
procedure of filling in the `application for approval to visit`
forms and having them stamped by the various authorities -all in
different parts of town- the day before the scenic ride out to
the medieval ruins. It`s best to start out early in the morning,
after a delicious breakfast of unique Kars honey and excellent
locally made cheddar type cheese.
The ancient citadel of Ani is situated on the barren plains
above the Arpacay Valley which separates Turkey and Armenia. The
site is surrounded by an imposing fortified city wall, currently
undergoing intensive restoration. This one time prominent city
used to house over 100.000 citizens in it`s hey-day. Once an
important station on the ancient Silk Road, serving as a trading
post and caravanserai for merchants travelling with heavily laden
camels between east and west, it is now a ruined ghost town. Ani
quickly fell to the Mongols in the 13th century who left the
city ransacked in turbulent disarray, then Tamerlane rampaged
through and mercilessly destroyed what was left. When the trade
routes moved further south, the once bustling metropolis lost
its revenue from trade and soon the entire province died. It was
again destroyed by earthquakes in the 14th century. What remains
now are several Armenian built churches, a ruined Seljuk palace,
a couple of mosques and caravanserais and a cathedral. The
colourful frescoes and paintings in the churches are still in
fine condition although time has left its mark as well.
Stepping back into the turbulent history of unspoiled Eastern
Turkey is a refreshing change from the well-worn tourist
track. Exploring in the remotest corners of this timeless land,
a quest not for the faint-hearted, priceless treasures can
be enjoyed at leisure and unforgettable memories retained for
a life-time. A truly voracious adventurer can create his own
footprints through the ages.
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