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CITY OF ANI ATTRACTS MORE VISITORS
Hurriyet, Turkey
March 12 2013
KARS - Anatolia News Agency
The ancient Armenian city of Ani in the eastern province of Kars
continues to attract more tourists each year. In 2012, a total of
43,657 people visited the site close to a third of the visitors are
from foreign countries, according to tourism officials. Experts expect
to see more visitors in 2013
Dubbed 'City of 1,001 Churches,' Ani stood on various trade routes,
and its many religious buildings and fortifications were among the
most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world at
the time, according to specialists. AA photo Tourists are beating an
evermore well-worn path to Ani, an ancient Armenian city in the eastern
province of Kars that has long been regarded as one of Turkey's most
impressive tourist sites, according to newly released tourist numbers.
Some 43,657 visitors went to the ancient city in 2012, a rise over
the figure of 23,400 for the previous year. Close to a third of the
visitors are from foreign countries, according to tourism officials.
Speaking to Anatolia news agency, Kars Culture and Tourism Manager
Hakan Doganay said there were a total of 21 main cultural treasures
in Ani. "In fact, we call Ani an iceberg because we know there is a
lot to discover and excavate at Ani."
Experts know that Ani was a trade center in the past, said Doganay,
adding that the ancient city was a cultural mosaic. The cultural
manager further said that if excavations were completed at the site,
it could become one of the country's leading tourism sites.
The planned excavation work will involve creating a detailed map of
the site, which was once the center of a powerful Armenian empire and
possessed a population of between 100,000 and 200,000 over a millennium
ago, making it one of the biggest cities in the world at the time.
Ani was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered
much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey. Ani is protected on
its eastern side by a ravine formed by the Akhurian River and on its
western side by the Bostanlar or Tzaghkotzadzor Balley. The Akhurian
is a branch of the Aras River and forms part of the current border
between Turkey and Armenia.
City of churches
Dubbed the "City of 1,001 Churches," Ani stood on various trade routes,
and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were
among the most technically and artistically advanced structures in
the world at the time, according to specialists.
The site occupied 78 hectares of land and was surrounded by
4,500-meter-long ramparts. In addition to its numerous churches, the
site also features the remains of an inn, a public bath, one of the
first mosques in Anatolia and other buildings. The site was located
on the historic Silk Road and formed the first gate connecting the
Caucasus to Anatolia before a sea route was discovered. "[The city]
declined in importance after [sea routes gained prominence]. And
it was destroyed by periodic earthquakes. Between 1965 and 1966, a
professor named Kemal Balkan launched the first excavation work on the
Ani ruins. Then between 1989 and 2005, excavation and cleaning works
were done. Between 2005 and 2009, the excavation work was halted,"
Doganay said. Ani was placed on the World Cultural Heritage List
thanks to an application by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, he said,
adding that it was an integral part of the region. "Ani is a city of
universal religions. We call it a world city since people from all
nations, cultures, and races live there," he said. "It is essential
to bring this world city to light and give it to the world as soon
as possible. Our work is ongoing in a planned and systematic way."
March/12/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/city-of-ani-attracts-more-visitors.aspx?pageID=238&nID=42750&NewsCatID=379
Hurriyet, Turkey
March 12 2013
KARS - Anatolia News Agency
The ancient Armenian city of Ani in the eastern province of Kars
continues to attract more tourists each year. In 2012, a total of
43,657 people visited the site close to a third of the visitors are
from foreign countries, according to tourism officials. Experts expect
to see more visitors in 2013
Dubbed 'City of 1,001 Churches,' Ani stood on various trade routes,
and its many religious buildings and fortifications were among the
most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world at
the time, according to specialists. AA photo Tourists are beating an
evermore well-worn path to Ani, an ancient Armenian city in the eastern
province of Kars that has long been regarded as one of Turkey's most
impressive tourist sites, according to newly released tourist numbers.
Some 43,657 visitors went to the ancient city in 2012, a rise over
the figure of 23,400 for the previous year. Close to a third of the
visitors are from foreign countries, according to tourism officials.
Speaking to Anatolia news agency, Kars Culture and Tourism Manager
Hakan Doganay said there were a total of 21 main cultural treasures
in Ani. "In fact, we call Ani an iceberg because we know there is a
lot to discover and excavate at Ani."
Experts know that Ani was a trade center in the past, said Doganay,
adding that the ancient city was a cultural mosaic. The cultural
manager further said that if excavations were completed at the site,
it could become one of the country's leading tourism sites.
The planned excavation work will involve creating a detailed map of
the site, which was once the center of a powerful Armenian empire and
possessed a population of between 100,000 and 200,000 over a millennium
ago, making it one of the biggest cities in the world at the time.
Ani was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered
much of present-day Armenia and eastern Turkey. Ani is protected on
its eastern side by a ravine formed by the Akhurian River and on its
western side by the Bostanlar or Tzaghkotzadzor Balley. The Akhurian
is a branch of the Aras River and forms part of the current border
between Turkey and Armenia.
City of churches
Dubbed the "City of 1,001 Churches," Ani stood on various trade routes,
and its many religious buildings, palaces, and fortifications were
among the most technically and artistically advanced structures in
the world at the time, according to specialists.
The site occupied 78 hectares of land and was surrounded by
4,500-meter-long ramparts. In addition to its numerous churches, the
site also features the remains of an inn, a public bath, one of the
first mosques in Anatolia and other buildings. The site was located
on the historic Silk Road and formed the first gate connecting the
Caucasus to Anatolia before a sea route was discovered. "[The city]
declined in importance after [sea routes gained prominence]. And
it was destroyed by periodic earthquakes. Between 1965 and 1966, a
professor named Kemal Balkan launched the first excavation work on the
Ani ruins. Then between 1989 and 2005, excavation and cleaning works
were done. Between 2005 and 2009, the excavation work was halted,"
Doganay said. Ani was placed on the World Cultural Heritage List
thanks to an application by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, he said,
adding that it was an integral part of the region. "Ani is a city of
universal religions. We call it a world city since people from all
nations, cultures, and races live there," he said. "It is essential
to bring this world city to light and give it to the world as soon
as possible. Our work is ongoing in a planned and systematic way."
March/12/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/city-of-ani-attracts-more-visitors.aspx?pageID=238&nID=42750&NewsCatID=379