FUNKYFOOD LONDON – PAUL WILLIAMS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
1. Ani, Turkey
2. Lythrodontas, Cyprus
3. Ravenna, Italy
4. Thessaloniki, Greece
5. Tabriz, Iran
Answer: (1) Ani, Turkey
Located in the far northeast of modern Turkey, Ani was for a time the capital of the Armenian Empire. As the first empire to declare Christianity its official religion (301 CE), Armenia stood as a gateway between the Byzantine world to the west and the Persian world to the east, while maintaining its own native language,
culture, and customs.
By the fifth century, Ani was a fortress belonging to an elite Armenian family. Over time, the site continued to grow, until it was sold in the tenth century to the Bagtarid Dynasty, who made it their capital in 961. Due to its rapid growth and prosperity, Ani tripled in size over the next 40 years and became known as the “city of 1,001 churches.” Following the Mongol conquest in the 13th century, the city began its gradual decline.
Both within and outside the tenth-century walls, monumental churches dot the starkly beautiful landscape in and around Ani. The city also boasts a citadel at its north end, various underground chambers cut into the rock, and numerous other monumental buildings.
The Church of St. Gregory of the Abughamrents was built in the late tenth century as a private chapel for the Pahlavuni family. Its main structure, which is 12-sided, has a surprisingly spacious interior. In about 1040, a mausoleum was added to the building’s northern face to house the burials of at least three members of the family.
. Ani, Turkey 2. Lythrodontas, Cyprus 3. Ravenna, Italy 4. Thessaloniki, Greece 5. Tabriz, Iran Answer: (1) Ani, Turkey Located in the far northeast of modern Turkey, Ani was for a time the capital of the Armenian Empire. As the first empire to declare Christianity its official religion (301 CE), Armenia stood as a gateway between the Byzantine world to the west and the Persian world to the east, while maintaining its own native language, culture, and customs. By the fifth century, Ani was a fortress belonging to an elite Armenian family. Over time, the site continued to grow, until it was sold in the […]
