a last look at ani

anatolia's first mosque

Among the many ruins of churches stand the remnants of the Seljuk Ebul Menuçehr Camii, the first mosque built in Anatolia. The shade inside was a welcome retreat from the relentless sun, where several crag martins darted in and out in a blur.



From its row of elegant pointed arch windows, you can see Armenia, just across the valley.

whitewash

ani

On the edge of the border between Turkey and Armenia, an ancient city once said to house a thousand churches, crumbles into the earth. As Ani was situated on important trade routes, the prosperous city passed through the hands of the Armenians, Byzantines, Ottomans, Kurds, Georgians, and Russians, until it fell into decline in the 14th century. Even though Ani was an Armenian capitol, I was unable to find one sign that mentioned the word 'Armenian'.



The sun burned, and the air was still.