Cathedral of Ani

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 12/15/2023 - 15:48

The Ani Cathedral is the biggest building in Ani, which was the capital of medieval Armenia during the Bagratid era. It's located in eastern Turkey, near the border with Armenia. The building was completed at the beginning of the 11th century, according to the plan of the architect Trdat, and for almost half a century, it served as the residence of the Catholicos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cathedral is considered to be the largest and most impressive building in the city. It is a domed basilica with a rectangular plan, although it is currently missing the dome and most of the drum supporting it. The entire area of Ani, including the cathedral, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.

Church of Saint Gregory of Tigran Honents in Ani

Submitted by Iza on Sun, 12/10/2023 - 18:02

The Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Ani was constructed on behalf of the affluent and pious merchant Tigran Honents and was completed in 1215. He not only paid for its construction, but also provided numerous valuable items, such as crosses, lamps, gold and silver vessels, and sacred artefacts. Honents belonged to one of the numerous extremely wealthy merchant families of Ani that amassed considerable wealth primarily through commerce. Although these families were wealthy, they lacked great political or military power.

The Church of Saint Gregory of Tigran Honents in Ani

Anemurium

Submitted by Iza on Tue, 12/05/2023 - 11:20

Anemurium, also known as Anamurion, is an archaeological gem of the Mediterranean coast undiscovered by mass tourism and excellently preserved for those fascinated by ancient monuments. If you value peace and quiet and the lack of crowds of visitors that make a visit to places such as Ephesus burdensome, you should choose to go to Anemurium instead. Especially since this site has a lot to offer, and you can spend a few good hours exploring its monuments.

November 2023 in Turkish archaeology

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 12/01/2023 - 17:17

In November 2023, several major archaeological discoveries were announced in the area of Turkey. In the southeastern region, in Zerzevan Castle, the archaeologists uncovered the remains of the entrance gate to a Temple of Mithras. In Cappadocia, the largest floor mosaic of Central Anatolia Region was unearthed during the excavations carried out in Örenşehir District. In the same region of the country, a 4,300-year-old braided mat was found in the Kültepe Kaniş Karum ruins. Finally, an ivory-decorated piece, estimated to be approximately 2,800 years old, was found during the archaeological excavation in the Hattusa ancient city in Çorum Province.

The vast area of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite civilization

Yazılıkaya near Hattusa

Submitted by Iza on Fri, 12/01/2023 - 09:54

The Yazılıkaya Rock Sanctuary is the largest known Hittite open-air religious site. Its main parts are two galleries located in rocky corridors. They were once separated from the outside world by a complex of temple buildings, of which only the foundations and the outline of the walls have survived to this day.