Ani is home to military, religious as well as residential buildings and fortifications which trail back hundreds of years.
These structures reflect the characteristics of the medieval urbanism that was formed within centuries by Christians and Muslims.
It grew into a magnificent capital of the Bagradit Armenian Kingdom in the 10th and 11th centuries CE with a population over one hundred thousand and gained economic power by controlling one branch of the Silk Road.
Inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2016, the Ani ruins with numerous churches, mosques and caravanserais are encircled by impressive fortified walls.