Inscriptions on its outer faces give us the origins of the cathedral. Construction work began in 989 AD and after a brief hiatus in work was completed in 1001 AD. The city was captured in 1064 by the Turks who converted the cathedral into a mosque. It was restored to its Christian usage in 1124.
It has been significantly damaged in recent years by the use of explosives at a nearby mine on the Armenian side of the border. As a result significant sections of the Cathedral are now being supported by metal brackets.
Traces of the frescos that covered the Cathedral can still be seen in the whitewashed apse.
Creator
Joshua Bryant
Date of Visit
16th May 2015
Contributor
Joshua Bryant
Rights
Metadata and all media released under Creative Commons
unless otherwise indicated
Type
Architecture
Tags
Armenian, C10th-C11th, Cathedral, Church, Medieval, Turkey
Collection
Item Type
Architecture
Citation
Joshua Bryant, “Ani Cathedral,” Architecture and Asceticism, accessed November 21, 2024, https://architectureandasceticism.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/502.