Russian travellers on the architectural heritage of Ani

Abstract

The monuments of urban development and architecture of Ani, the medieval capital of Armenia, are presented through the eyes of Russian travellers, writers and artists of the late 18th and early 20th centuries. Their enthusiasm for this heritage stimulated professional scientific interest in the site of Ani, which became a laboratory of Russian medieval studies, archaeological and architectural research in the late 19th century. A review of literary and artistic works devoted to Ani reveals their value as documentary sources that describe the features and condition of the monuments of architecture significantly damaged during the XX century.