Ani's Historical Monuments Become Victims of Visitors' Negligent Behavior

The historical capital of Armenia, Ani, which has been reduced to ruins today on the western bank of the Akhuryan River near the Armenian-Turkish border, has fallen victim to the negligent and careless behavior of some visitors. This has been reported by Ermenihaber.

Turkish media outlets are alerting that the walls of Ani's historical buildings, which were included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2016, are now being indiscriminately painted, carved, and defaced by visitors.

Some tourists visiting this ancient city find nothing more ingenious to do than write their names, the year of the visit, or love confessions addressed to their spouses or sweethearts in chalk and paint on the surviving walls of churches, fortresses, and other structures. Others have resorted to engraving these messages using sharp tools.

On the other hand, all of this has sparked outrage among a number of concerned visitors, who have called for the removal of all inscriptions and for a more careful approach to these historical structures.