Someday we will visit Ani or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Once upon a time, Ani, the capital of the Armenian Empire under the Bagratid Dynasty, rivaled the Middle East's most powerful cities. Now, the city exudes the eerie ambiance of a ghost town surrounded by the remote landscape of the rolling Turkish steppe, the heavy weight of tragic history, and a nearby contested border; it has been made a UNESCO World Heritage site. Try to visit in June, if possible, because this is when the vast, flat plains are teeming with wildflowers.

Ani is one of the most popular female given names in Armenia.

All the structures at Ani are constructed using the local volcanic basalt, a sort of tufa stone. It is easily carved and comes in a variety of vibrant colors, from creamy yellow, to rose-red, to jet black. The most important surviving monuments are as follows.