Ani Archaeological City of 1001 Churches (UNESCO)

Perched on a windswept triangular plateau protected by deep river gorges on the frontier border between Turkey and Armenia in Kars province, Ani is one of the world's most hauntingly beautiful ghost cities. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016, Ani flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries as the glorious capital of the medieval Bagratid Armenian Kingdom and a vital metropolis on the northern Silk Road, boasting over 100,000 residents and celebrated as the 'City of 1,001 Churches'. Sacked successively by Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, Georgians, and Mongols before being abandoned following a devastating 14th-century earthquake, the vast ruins stand today as lonely red-tuff sentinels against the open steppe. Highlights include the monumental double-layered City Walls, the towering Cathedral of Ani engineered by the genius architect Trdat (who repaired the dome of Hagia Sophia), the Church of the Holy Redeemer split in half by lightning, and the cliffside Church of Saint Gregory of the Abughamrents looking out over the winding canyon below.