Silk Road Bridge Supports


Two unconnected brick towers are all that remain of a once important 9th-century bridge that formerly straddled the Arpaçay, the river that now forms the Turkish-Armenian border. It was originally a two-level structure, with a lower storey for caravans and an upper walkway for pedestrians. The ruins are off limits but attractively visible from the Manuçehr Camii.


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1. Ani Cathedral

0.11 MILES

Completed in 1010, the grassy-roofed cathedral is the largest building among the Ani ruins. The building's elegantly finished stone walls are relatively…

2. Manuçehr Camii

0.15 MILES

Ani's 1072 Manuçehr Camii was built by the Seljuk Turks, using Armenian architects and artisans, creating a stylistic blend in what is considered to have…

3. Convent of the Virgins

0.16 MILES

Out of bounds just above Arpaçay gorge, this complex of ruins is most notable for the dainty, serrated-domed chapel (probably 11th-century) enclosed by a…

4. Ebu'l Muammeran Camii

0.21 MILES

The most substantial remnant of this 11th-century mosque is its minaret, now lying on its side with the spiral stairs inside clearly visible. It was…

5. Church of Grigor Pahlavuny

0.27 MILES

A well-preserved central landmark in the heart of the Ani plateau, this rotunda-shaped church with a conical roof was built in about 980 for the wealthy…

6. Church of St Prkitch

0.27 MILES

Walking from the west, Ani's distinctive Church of the Redeemer (1034–36) looks strikingly complete despite the supporting scaffolding. From other angles,…

7. Küçük Hamam

0.28 MILES

Near the Church of St Prkitch are the excavated remnants of this late 11th-century bathhouse.

8. Kervansaray

0.29 MILES

The Church of the Holy Apostles (Arak Elots Kilisesi) dates from 1031, but after the Seljuks took the city in 1064 they added a gateway with a fine dome…