Kars
Ani is a ruined medieval city about 42 km from Kars, beside Ani village. It stands above the Arpaçay valley, where the river forms the Türkiye–Armenia border. This Silk Road trading city peaked between the 10th and 13th centuries. Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan took the city in 1064. UNESCO added Ani to the World Heritage List in 2016.
Visitors enter through Aslanlı Kapı, the main gate in walls about 5 km long. An inscription above the gate records the conquest of 1064. Inside stands the cathedral by the architect Trdat. It was finished in the early 11th century and later used as the Fethiye Mosque. Nearby are the Ebu'l Menuçehr Mosque and the Church of Tigran Honents of 1215, known for its frescoes.
Finds from the excavations are in the Kars Museum. There is car parking at the gate. Paths are unpaved and the monuments far apart. Opening hours are shorter in winter; check them before you go.