Ani Antik Kenti
Ani Antik Kenti
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
811 reviews
Excellent
652
Very good
122
Average
25
Poor
7
Terrible
5
worldnomad_01
Los Angeles, CA1,597 contributions
Sept 2022
Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the great city of Ani used to be the capital of the Armenian Kingdom from 961 to 1045. In 1064 it was occupied by the Seljuk turks led by Alp Arslan, in 1236 it was sacked by the Mongols and then it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1319. Nowadays the ruins are located on the border with Armenia, from which it separated by the ravine of the Akhurian River. At the height of its power Ani was one of the world's largest cities, with a population of more than 100,000 people and was known for the multitude and beauty of its churches, as well as its wealth and splendor. At the time of our visit (we were the only tourists there) it was just a desolate and almost magical place, dotted here and there with the ruins of The Cathedral, The Church of the Holy Redeemer, The church of St Gregory of Tigran Honents, Surp Stephanos Church and many others... It's a huge area, some of the buildings are totally destroyed, restoration work is still in progress in some places and it will most likely take many decades until the work is completed.
With practically no other visitors it was, once again, a desolate, magical place, where your imagination will go wild and try to visualize to how this place must have looked like back then, at the peak of its power and glory ....
It will be worth your time and effort to see it ...
With practically no other visitors it was, once again, a desolate, magical place, where your imagination will go wild and try to visualize to how this place must have looked like back then, at the peak of its power and glory ....
It will be worth your time and effort to see it ...
Written October 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Celil ERSÖZOĞLU
Kars, Türkiye10 contributions
Apr 2024 • Business
Opportunities for Transporter to go to the ancient city of Ani
It consists of separate prices, including guidance service! Without a guide, only transportation costs 45 Euros. We need to discuss the guide fee separately with the guide ,Which guide will be available for your future date? My WhatsApp is +905322263966
It consists of separate prices, including guidance service! Without a guide, only transportation costs 45 Euros. We need to discuss the guide fee separately with the guide ,Which guide will be available for your future date? My WhatsApp is +905322263966
Written April 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lanni
Gaziantep, Türkiye5,664 contributions
Jun 2020 • Friends
We visited Ani in one of the curfew days in Turkey which lockdown ended at 15.00. What we found was empty ancient city with beautiful walls and churches. We were the only two visitors in Ani when we arrived. Although we had only 2.5 hours before the closing hours, it was a real priviledge to enjoy the silent ancient city. The bonus: we saw cattleherders with flock of cows - lovely. Then in King Gagik's church, a nice horse was grazing ... such a rare view!
Written June 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SleeplessinSD
San Diego, CA367 contributions
May 2022
We hired Celil for a very full day of touring in and around Kars. We found him to be extraordinarily responsive and reliable. He was born and grew up in Kars and his knowledge of the region appears to be encyclopedic. He deftly brought the history of Ani to life for us and nicely organized our time there. After that he drove us to Lake Cildir for lunch and some exploration of that beautiful area. Beyond that, he was extraordinarily helpful with some of the more mundane details of our visit, eg, helping us buy cheeses for our train trip west. Despite many years of guiding experience, he seems freshly enthusiastic about the local history and sights. I highly recommend him.
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lavinia C
42 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
We had a wonderful tour from Kars with our experienced guide Celil Ersözoğlu (+90 532 226 39 66). First he took us to the ancient World Heritage site of Ani, a real treasure. We wandered around the ruins of this magical city and were able to enjoy every moment thanks to the explanations of Celil. We really liked it and it was worth the trip to Kars. The following day we visited Cıldır Lake and hiked to Şeytan Castle, a very scenic castle on a hill above a gorge, close to the border with Georgia. We had a wonderful time with Celil and would highly recommend his professional services.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William S
Ankara, Türkiye63 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
We took the Touristic Eastern Express train from Ankara to Kars. While in Kars, our tour group spent a morning in Anı. As someone who has visited many antique cities in Turkey (a country with pretty amazing history), I found Anı particularly interesting, especially as told by our freelance guide, Yusuf. Like other antique cities, most of it is gone, but what remains, especially when well-told, is very interesting. It was once one of the important cities of the world, a key stop on the 'Silk Road'. What remains is still quite interesting and uniquely significant in the context of the last 150 years and the time that the Kars region was a part of the Russian Empire. I definitely recommend Ani to visit, but pick your time of year (this is Kars, and heavy snow can curtail your visit) and shop for a knowledgable guide who can present the history in a clear and understandable manner in your language.
Written March 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raluca Maria
Genf13 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We were accompanied by a local guide, Mr. Celil Ersözoğlu, whom we warmly recommend to anyone visiting the region or going beyond Kars, to the mountains or lakes north or south. Mr. Celil Ersözoğlu speaks English fluently and is well informed and competent. Very professional, but also very warm and friendly. He made some very good suggestions for trips and we felt very safe with him on the road. He has a comfortable minivan. He is passionate about his job and it was an honour for us to visit the Kars area under his guidance. Thank you, Mr. Celil, for a great experience!
Written August 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luis S
14 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
Ani ruins are awesome, mixing an ancient sire, tremendous landscape and absence of crowss. Really not to miss, and worth the travel to Kars. Celil Ersozoglu took us there from downtown Kars (45min drive) and was wonderful in giving us context about Ani and Kars history and geography. Tip: go there late in the afternoon to catch the best light and make the experience truly magical. The site is open till sunset.
Written July 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Norayr G
12 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
My son and I visited Ani in Kars under the expert guidance of Mr. Celil Ersözoğlu. Celil picked us up from the airport and then gave us a nice tour of downtown Kars. We then had a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant and then headed to the ancient Ani ruins. Celil speaks English fluently and is very knowledgeable about not only Ani but also Kars and its surrounding areas. He gave us a nearly four hour tour starting in the afternoon until sunset when we were able to take some amazing photos. We highly recommend Celil, a friendly, knowledgeable and an all around nice guy.
Written August 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SiberianEmo
Omsk, Russia555 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
To begin with, any review that suggests that 2 hours in Ani is enough, must be discarded immediately. The site is massive. I went there twice and spent combined 8 hours in total.
Logistics aside, I had a rental car, so I cannot comment on the public transportation situation. It takes roughly 40 minutes from Kars. Along the way, you will pass vast meadows and small villages. Be watchful for the livestock, since it might randomly venture into the road.
There is a large parking lot and some sort of a snack/gift shop & a bathroom. There are no bathrooms inside the actual site.
The site is massive and open. So bring water and sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes-walkways are ragged.
There are many sites that are hidden from sight, one of the best is Church of Tigran Honents. It contains frescoes and is one of the best preserved buildings at Ani. It is not visible upon entrance to Ani, and is hidden in the canyon to the left side of the entrance. Use Cathedral and the circular Church of Redeemer as an orientation. The views to the river and Armenian side are breathtaking.
The other interesting building is Virgins Monastery. It is farther down the canyon, follow the pass from the Tigran Honents, until it ends, and then descent through the meadow. The way down is rather treacherous, so, do it at your own risk. (I twisted my ankle along the way).
Citadel is also impressive.
The negatives are rather cavalier neglect Ani gets. It is a UNESCO heritage site; however, cows have unrestricted access to the site to graze. The walkways are covered in cow pies. There are bottles and garbage strewn around. Church of Tigran and its frescoes are defaced...
Looks like the Cathedral is getting renovated; hopefully one day the Tigran Church gets restored.
In short, Ani offers unique glimpse into the vanished civilization. What remains of it must he treasured.
Logistics aside, I had a rental car, so I cannot comment on the public transportation situation. It takes roughly 40 minutes from Kars. Along the way, you will pass vast meadows and small villages. Be watchful for the livestock, since it might randomly venture into the road.
There is a large parking lot and some sort of a snack/gift shop & a bathroom. There are no bathrooms inside the actual site.
The site is massive and open. So bring water and sunscreen. Wear comfortable shoes-walkways are ragged.
There are many sites that are hidden from sight, one of the best is Church of Tigran Honents. It contains frescoes and is one of the best preserved buildings at Ani. It is not visible upon entrance to Ani, and is hidden in the canyon to the left side of the entrance. Use Cathedral and the circular Church of Redeemer as an orientation. The views to the river and Armenian side are breathtaking.
The other interesting building is Virgins Monastery. It is farther down the canyon, follow the pass from the Tigran Honents, until it ends, and then descent through the meadow. The way down is rather treacherous, so, do it at your own risk. (I twisted my ankle along the way).
Citadel is also impressive.
The negatives are rather cavalier neglect Ani gets. It is a UNESCO heritage site; however, cows have unrestricted access to the site to graze. The walkways are covered in cow pies. There are bottles and garbage strewn around. Church of Tigran and its frescoes are defaced...
Looks like the Cathedral is getting renovated; hopefully one day the Tigran Church gets restored.
In short, Ani offers unique glimpse into the vanished civilization. What remains of it must he treasured.
Written September 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ocak ayında gezmeyi düşünüyorum gezilebilir mi acaba
Written December 27, 2020
ani harabeleri giriş ücretlim, otopark varmı otopark için ekstra ücret alınıyormu acaba ?
Written March 23, 2019
Giriş ücretli, müze kart geçerli. Her yer otopark.
Written March 23, 2019
Is there any transport to Ani? I really want to go but can not pay 200 for a taxi. That is a ripoff price and clearly overcharging visitors. Is there a way to get there for 50 or 60 at the most? How many hours is it to walk from Kars? I really want to see this but the expensive taxis will mean that anyone on a budget will avoid this.
Written April 14, 2017
Local buses do leave from the corner of antik cafe but (Nov 2017) it leaves at 11. Just ask inside the cafe at what time will be bus arrive. It also depends on the amount of people. May there not be enough people, the bus won't leave. I hitchhiked there and back today, without a problem. Left at 9.45 and was there by 11. The bus is 14TL. Cecil is also able to organise a private car for 150. That will be divided by the amount of passengers there are.
Written November 20, 2017
jerryway
Bellevue, Washington
I heard that Ani Ruins opens daily at 8 AM. Is it possible to visit the ruins earlier in the morning, before 8 AM? Is Ani Ruin guarded by some entry gate which opens in the morning and closes at night?
I am a photographer and plan to shot some sunrise photos there.
Written March 29, 2017
A Tripadvisor member
Istanbul, Türkiye
You may not, but you could ask for permission
Written March 29, 2017
Are there any restrictions on entry to Ani? Are there opening times, a ticket to buy like other historical sites, or can anyone just walk in?
I ask as i'm a photographer and want to get some pre-dawn pictures with a hire car to get there.
Thanks
Written March 14, 2017
Hi Paul, when I was visiting the ruins I overheard that taking professional photographs inside need a special authorization, otherwise they don't let you use a tripod. But you can take as many as you want without using a tripod (I know it's weird).
Written March 16, 2017
Toplu taşıma ile Kars Havaalanından Ani harabelerine nasıl ulaşabilirim?
Written December 16, 2016
Kars şehir merkezinden otogardan minübüs ile gidebilrsiniz.
Written December 19, 2016
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