ANI.
Though technically located in modern day Turkey, the city of Ani has spent many centuries changing ownership hands with just about every major power in that region. It was originally inhabited by Armenians, who very bitterly came and went during an endless war-torn drama in which entire cultures, populations and cities were liquidated over and over again. Though decidedly impossible to imagine now, this place was once one of the most thriving metropolises of it's heyday. The historical specifics of this region are mercilessly bloody, greedy and convoluted. As always, the church played a constant background to the madness. In fact, as different peoples and religions took over, the region became a growing patchwork of temples. Curiously, though rulers have occasionally attempted complete genocide and architectural annihilation, there are still today a number of partial structures left standing in this uninhabited land. All of them churches. All of them abandoned.
Though technically located in modern day Turkey, the city of Ani has spent many centuries changing ownership hands with just about every major power in that region. It was originally inhabited by Armenians, who very bitterly came and went during an endless war-torn drama in which entire cultures, populations and cities were liquidated over and over again. Though decidedly impossible to imagine now, this place was once one of the most thriving metropolises of it's heyday. The historical specifics of this region are mercilessly bloody, greedy and convoluted. As always, the church played a constant background to the madness. In fact, as different peoples and religions took over, the region became a growing patchwork of temples. Curiously, though rulers have occasionally attempted complete genocide and architectural annihilation, there are still today a number of partial structures left standing in this uninhabited land. All of them churches. All of them abandoned.
All images from these flickr sets: Here, here, here, here & here
The much more informational Original Source Inspiration.
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