AROUND ANI

Bagnayr Monastery (Kozluca Churches)
The remains of the Bagnayr Monastery are in Kozluca village, several miles west of Ani near Ala Dag. To get there; turn right at the Esenkent turning before arriving at Ani. The name Bagnayr means the cave of the fire altars, and this name suggests that it was an old Zoroastrian temple. The 11th century historian Stefanos Asogik wrote that the monastery was built in 989 by Vahram Pahlavuni. it became an important religious center in 1040. inscriptions on the building reveal that different chapels of the monastery were built at different times. The earliest dates to 1145 and the latest to 1229. The most recent inscriptions date back to the second half of the 13th century. The monastery was probably deserted in the 13th century when the region was captured by nomadic Turkish groups.

The deserted monastery was used by nomads as late as the 19th century. The main church, Surp Astvatsatzin (Holy Mary), is believed to have been constructed by Vahram's son Prince Sembat Magistros Pahlavuni. The great entrance to the main monastery complex on the west side is in ruins today. The two chapels attached to the southwest side of church are also no longer standing.

Horomos Monastery
This monastery is located inside a restricted military area 15 kilometers from Ani. it was built along the Arpacay River by the Bagradits in the ninth century and contains three churches and one watchtower made of clear-cut tufa stones. Stefanos Asogik of Taron describes the monastery as follows:

"The Horomos Monastery in the Sirak region was built by Hovhannes, who was so compassionate at heart as to give his clothes away when he saw poor people. He wanted this place to be a place for visitors and travellers to come and rest and feel at home. The same compassion is still felt in that monastery."

Horomos Monestry and the Kosavank (Ghoshavank) churches nearby are situated in a difficult terrain in northwest of Ani.These are among of the most important cultural and religious centers of Ani and from what Stefanos Asogik wrote, it is clear that the monastery was established on a caravanserai route. it is not yet known where the names Horomos and Kosavank derive from. The monastery and the churches were damaged by invasions and raids, and then were restored during the Bagrat Kingdom to survive intact until the 1920s.

The monastery also provided a cemetery for the families which ruled Ani until the 13th century. it had a large library, a calligraphy room and a belfry. The whole complex saw further restoration between 1850 and 1880 and continued functioning until the 1920s.

The main section of the monastery is on the steep slope by the side of the Arpacay River, on the highest spot of the peninsula and covered by walls. On the north of the monastery there is a small hill where three churches known as the Kosavank Churches were located. And 400 meters north of these churches there is a building known as Zafer Taki, while two kilometers north of the monastery is the Taylar Church.

The Horomos Monastery is situated within a walled rectangular area. There are very few pieces of these walls left today. it consists of two groups of ruins: the first is around the Saint Yahya Church and the other is believed to have been a caravanserai and rooms used by monks, which are located further south. None of these survived.

Kosavank Churches
These three churches are located towards the north of the main section of the monastery. Some archaeologists say that these churches, Saint Minas Church, Saint Kevork Church and King Ashot Chapel, are older than the monastery.

The churches apart from the chapel have a similar design with a rectangular shaped building and domed roof. Saint Kevork Church is slightly larger than the Saint Minas Church. The inscription on the walls says that they were built by King Gagik.

What remains of the King Ashot Chapel is its northern and eastern walls. According to certain studies, in the old days there was a monument with an inscription naming King Ashot on the southwestern side of the chapel where his grave is thought to be. But no proof remains to confirm it.

Transition Door- Victory Plate
This interesting building, north of the Kosavank Churches by the side of the Ani road, is known as Victory Plate (Zafer Taki). it consisted of twin towers each supported by two pillars, which were connected with a high arch to enable passage between two towers. At the top of the twin towers there were two domed chapels. There were doors at its feet that opened up to staircases leading up the towers. Not much remains of it today. An inscription at the site suggests that it was built during the Bagradit period.

Red Vank Church

This church is located in the Yagikesen Village 15 kilometers north of Ani. its name Karmir Vank means Red Church. its location at the foot of a river and over a bare hill enables the church to be seen from long distances. its roof has a conical shape which looks similar to the peaks of the mountains behind it when covered by snow.

The church was used by the village in the 19th century and some sources name it the Mother Mary Church. The inscription over the church door says that Priest Salatiel repaired the church with his own hands. it is one of the soundest constructions in Ani.

Red Vank Church. Photograph: Yildirim Ozturkkan

Taylar Church
The real name of this church is not known, thus it took the name of a nearby village. it is supposed that it was built in the 10th century but there is no sufficient information about the church. it is situated eight kilometers northeast of Ani, and one kilometer north of Horomos Monastery.

Oguzlu Church
This church is in the Oguzlu village 16 kilometers north of Ani and its original name is also unknown. The inscriptions on the walls suggest that it was built during the King Smbat period (890–914) by the Kars governor Hassan Gnt’uni. Another inscription of the church, which is lost, said that the church was restored by Prince Ashot Pahlavid in 1001.