The Cathedral of Ani

The photograph shows the Cathedral of Ani, built in the 10th century and one of the principal sanctuaries of Bagratid Armenia. In the 10th and 11th centuries Ani was the capital of the Armenian kingdom and a major political, cultural and spiritual centre of the region. The cathedral's architecture reflects the high level of medieval Armenian building thought.

The roof is partly collapsed, the walls are decorated with blind arcades, and heaps of stones surround the building. Below the image is a printed English caption: “Fig. 72. Ani: The Cathedral from South-East.”

Despite the destruction and abandonment of the city, the cathedral still stands today, bearing witness to the powerful past of Armenian statehood and civilisation.