Ani: The millennial capial of Armenia

The album-catalogue entitled "Ani: the Millenial Capital of Armenia" includes reproductions made from the 120-year-old glass-plates representing the architecture of Ani and examples from the are archeological collection of Ani with their passport data, historical essays and analytical texts referring to the material in Armenian and English.

In 885, Armenia's independent statehood was restored, and Ashot I Bagratid was proclaimed king of the Armenians. Ani became the capital of Armenia in 961. Bagratid kings Ashot III and Smbat II carried out extensive work to fortify the defensive system of the city and to build new walls aroud Ani.

Ani was built within the principles of city architecture. The principal street extended from the Main Gate to the Citadel, and the secondary streets intersecting with it, connected the centre with the living quarters.

In the 11th century Ani was a city of about 100,000 inhabitants that had commercial-economic and cultural links with numerous countries in the East and in the West.

In 1236 the Mongols captured and destroyed Ani. The greater part of the inhabitants had to flee in large masses to foreign countries: the Crimea, Galicia, Poland, Southern Russia and elsewhere. Ani as a city survived until the 14th century.

This interesting book is available at http://booksfromarmenia.com/item.php?item_id=1231