Kurdshop – The city of Ani in Kars, North part of Kurdistan, has an ancient civilization. A thousand years ago, when the population of Istanbul was 80000, the population of Ani was 100000.
Ani is located near Kars city in the Sarhad region of the North part of Kurdistan and there are the remains of 22 civilizations. Ani is located 45 kilometers east of Kars. It is estimated that there were 24 gates in the walls of Ani, but today, only seven of the 24 gates remained. The entrance to Castle Ani is the Lion Gate.
The city of Ani was originally built by the people of Khalidi and Urartu. It was a multi-ethnic city and the traces of the Armenian people are still visible, especially in Ani. Several Kurdish civilizations such as Khalidi, Urartu, Media, Shaddadids, and many other civilizations, a total of 22 civilizations, have left traces in Ani.
A mosque was built by the Shaddadids a thousand years ago and still remains. The Cathedral church or main church was also built in 989 during the Armenian period under the name of the Holy Mary (Mair Daka). Apart from these, the ruins of the market of Ani and its buildings are still there today, but it takes years of archaeological research to fully reveal the hidden history of Ani.
The city of Ani is located in a very strategic location and on three sides of the city there is a deep and difficult valley with a river flowing through it. In addition, a large castle has been built on the north side of the city. As the three sides of the city were protected by the deep valley and the river, and the northern side by a strong, large, and very secure castle, it was very difficult to attack the city.
After the city of Ani was taken from the Armenians with the help of the Alp Arsalan Seljuk and Manuchehr Shaddadi, the famous mosque that still exists was built. At that time, the Armenian people relied on the Byzantines for religious influence, and the Kurds cooperated with the Seljuks, who had just arrived in the region and converted to Islam. After Ani is captured by the Shaddadis, the second golden age of Shaddadis began. A little below them was the authority of the Kurds of Marwani, who cooperated with each other. A little below them was the authority of the Kurds of Marwani, who cooperated with each other.
Ani still contains the remains of an ancient historical city, with a history of at least 2000 years, and was a very large city of its time, but that history is much older. Years of research are needed to extract this history, and so far, those works have not been done in a very comprehensive manner.
