The Ruined City of Ani

One of the attractions of Eastern Turkey, for those who venture there, is Ani, a ruined city-site that sits on a dramatic landscape of steppes, ravines and valleys. But be it the landscape or the ruins, the whole area exudes a sense of eerie sadness that makes you wonder about its past, and is really what I would exemplify as a 'ghost city'!

Cathedral of Ani bathed in golden sunlight

Ani was actually an Armenian city, and its current status on Turkish soil, on the border to Armenia, had been disputed and challenged between the two countries. During its peak in its eventful history, Ani had been the capital of the Armenian empire, but tragically, on its route of decline, it had seen through a long list of empires. While previously known as the 'City of 1001 Churches' or 'City of 40 Gates', what is left behind are faded facades and crumbling stones.

Archaeological excavations was started in 1892 under the Russians, and thankfully, some artifacts were preserved even after going through its turbulent history. Today, some news and reports indicate that some excavations and restorations are underway by the Turkish government, though when I visited, there were little indications :| ... The area is still within the Turkish military zone, and Armenia is just across from the river at the site, but I did not see any particular restrictions when I was there.

Crumbling structures

Most visitors to Ani start off in the city of Kars. In 2011, there is supposedly a public dolmus (shared vans) from Kars to the village just outside Ani twice a day. Otherwise, the best bet is to hire a taxi for the day. The site is well worth exploring and I would recommend spending at least half a day there. I spent the whole day there, till the closing time, and there wasn't any dolmus going back to Kars in the evening! Luckily, I managed to hitch a ride back from a group of Georgian tourists. Do bring along snacks/food and water, as when you enter the site, there isn't any tourist facilities except at the gate.

In the past, there were supposedly restrictions on photography, but apparently, it had been removed. For ruins, the image of the Church of the Redeemer would be particularly impactful, as half of its structure had collapsed. Check out also the Cathedral of Ani. The frescoes within some buildings are also quite beautiful. And if you stay till closing time, the late afternoon light on the ruins are also wonderful!

One of the highlights of Eastern Turkey!

Faded and damaged frescoes inside one of the cathedrals

Church of the Redeemer

Sümela Monastery, Turkey

For those who had ventured to the eastern part of Turkey, or specifically, for those who found themselves in Trabzon on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey, Sümela Monastery is simply one of the must-visit attractions there!

Also known as The Monastery of Virgin Mary, it was a Greek Orthodox monastery built into the face of a steep cliff. Founded by 2 hermit priests who discovered a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave in the mountain, the monastery had gone through various restorations in its long history. However, in recent times, it looks like the monastery could do with some preservation, especially the amazing frescoes found in the monastery!!

Indeed, the frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the various buildings in the monastery are one of the best I've seen! Unfortunately, poor protection of the site had resulted in most of the frescoes being damaged by wandering shepherds and ignorant tourists. However, there are reports that in 2012, the Turkish government would be funding some restoration works, and it would bode well for the local tourism.  Sümela Monastery is currently in the tentative list of UNESCO sites for Turkey.

There are many agencies and hotels in Trabzon arranging day tours to the monastery, which is basically just shared van transport to the monastery. You can, of course, pay for private tours and guides. You'll be deposited near the entrance of the monastery, and after approximately 1.5 hrs, you can take a short walk down a path back to the carpark where the van would bring you back to Trabzon.

Hopefully, the restoration works would enable the site to revert back to its full glory!! Check it out once you have the chance!

City in a Cave

Situated near Akhaltsikhe in southern Georgia, Vardzia ranks as one of the country's most interesting sights. Dug out of solid rock, comprising 13 stories of apartments (some say 6000!), complete with a throne room, a church and even a bell tower, the cave city of Vardzia is making a definite claim into UNESCO's list.

Built as early as the 12th century during the reign of their beloved ruler Queen Tamar, it was a bastion against the Mongol horde. However, it was not the Mongols, but an earthquake that destroyed part of the city years after the invasion. Today, it is a major tourist attraction in Georgia, though only part of the complex is open for sightseeing. In fact, a portion of the place are occupied by monks and it is a fully working monastery. There are some really awesome frescoes in there (but then, there're many awesome frescoes all around Georgia!), and there are also some mazy tunnels which you could wander in. No worries though as you would eventually come out into the open! (though not really advisable for those who are claustrophobic) The scenery around are also quite spectacular!

There are only a few marshrutkas a day plying the beautiful route from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia and I believe I took the last one at close to 4pm. It's 2+hours of journey, and there a few guesthouses around the area where you could spend the night (the Lonely Planet guide lists a few). For those in a group, there will be many taxi drivers in Akhaltsikhe which you could hire for the trip and may be a better alternative. There are also many marshrutkas between Akhaltsikhe and Tbilisi, and Akhaltsikhe is also the start/end point of the Posof border crossing into Turkey.


For visitors to Georgia who have a bit of time, Vardzia can be an excellent option besides the popular Kazbegi/Svaneti and/or Kalkheti regions. Check it out!

Merry Cemetery

While Maramureş is considered as rural Romania, it boasts a tourist attraction well-known throughout the country. Strange as it may sound, this star attraction is a cemetery.



Merry Cemetery is situated in the village of Săpânţa, just kilometres south of Ukraine. Interestingly, this cemetery celebrates death with humour, and life with the simplicity of a single picture. Founded by a wood sculptor, who started carving wooden crosses for the tombstones in the old church cemetery in 1930s. He painted them blue (the colour of hope of freedom) and inscribed humorous or witty epitaphs for the dead. The tradition was carried on by his apprentice, and now, there are hundreds of such crosses. Unfortunately, I could not understand the Romanian epitaphs, and so could not appreciate the humour. However, each tombstone is also painted a picture that depicts the life of the decreased, and wandering through the cemetery, you could almost imagine yourself walking through the traditional community of the past.



Besides the tombstones, the church in the cemetery have been refurbished, and the frescoes inside them are certainly worth seeing. We got to Săpânţa by a rented car, but if you are alone, there are buses to-and-fro from the nearest town Sighetu Marmaţiei. You may not feel "merry" visiting the cemetery, but I think it is still worth a visit!