ANI

ancient city site in extreme eastern Turkey. Ani lies east of Kars and along the Arpaay (Akhuryan) River, which forms the border with Armenia to the east. 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 time Ashot III the Merciful (reigned 952977), the Bagratid king of Armenia, transferred his capital there from Kars in 961. Thus began a golden age for the city, which was beautified under two subsequent Bagratid rulers. The many churches built there during this period included some of the finest examples of medieval architecture. With a peak population of about 100,000 by the early 11th century, Ani was larger than any European city and rivaled Baghdad, Cairo, and Constantinople in its size and magnificence. It remained the chief city of Armenia until Mongol raids in the 13th century and a devastating earthquake in 1319 sent it into an irreparable decline. Eventually the site was abandoned. The handful of surviving churches and the remnants of the city walls attest to the extraordinary quality of Armenian stonework during the Middle Ages. The modern Turkish village of Ocakli is nearby.