Things to Do in Kars: Places and Attractions

Historic & Cultural

Tiknis Castle, located in Kalkankale Village of Akyaka district in Kars, was built in the Middle Ages by Armenian Bagratid kings to defend their capital Ani from the north. Constructed from neatly cut basalt stones and featuring a three-wall system, the castle shares architectural similarities with the Ani archaeological site. Although almost intact at the beginning of the 20th century, the castle is now largely in ruins.

Khtzkonk Monastery was a monastic ensemble of five Armenian churches built between the seventh and thirteenth centuries in what was then the Armenian Bagratid kingdom. The site is located near the town of Digor, the administrative capital of the Digor District of the Kars Province in Turkey, about 19 kilometres west of the border with Armenia, in a gorge formed by the Digor River.

Religious Sites

Nature & Adventure

Historic & Cultural

Historic & Cultural

Museums

Historic & Cultural

Historic & Cultural

Historic & Cultural

Historic & Cultural

The Cathedral of Ani is the largest standing building in Ani, the capital city of medieval Bagratid Armenia, located in present-day eastern Turkey, on the border with modern Armenia. Its construction was completed in the early 11th century by the architect Trdat and it was the seat of the Catholicos, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, for nearly half a century. In 1064, following the Seljuk conquest of Ani, the cathedral was converted into a mosque.

Religious Sites

The Citadel in Kars, also known as Kars Castle, is a historic fortification situated on a rocky hill overlooking the city. It was first built in 1153 and later rebuilt in 1579 under the orders of Ottoman Sultan Murad III. The castle has been destroyed and reconstructed multiple times throughout its history, with the current structure dating back to 1855. Kars Castle is located on a hill north of the Kars River and is a prominent feature of the city's skyline. Inside the castle, there are remnants of military structures, an armory, and a mosque. Within walking distance are the Cathedral of Ani (739 m) and the Church of St Gregory of Abughamrens (680 m).

Historic & Cultural

Historic & Cultural

The Church of St Gregory of Abughamrens in Kars Merkez is a well-preserved, rotunda-shaped place of worship located in the ruins of Ani. The church is one of the earliest monuments constructed after Ani became the capital of the Armenian Bagratid kingdom in 961 AD. It is thought to have been founded around 980 by Prince Grigor Pahlavuni or his wife Shushanik. It is within walking distance of the Cathedral of Ani (377 m), the Church of the Holy Redeemer (669 m), and the Citadel (680 m).

Historic & Cultural

Religious Sites

Horomos, also known as Horomosivank, Ghoshavank, Hochavank or Khosha Vank, is a medieval Armenian monastic complex about 15 kilometers northeast of the ruins of Ani—the capital of Bagratid Armenia—) in present-day eastern Turkey which got abandoned and ruined due to the Armenian Genocide in 1915. With its collection of churches, chapels and tombs, Horomos has been described as one of the most significant spiritual and cultural religious centers in medieval Armenia and one of the largest in all the Christian East.

Nature & Adventure

Horomos, also known as Horomosivank, Ghoshavank, Hochavank or Khosha Vank, is a medieval Armenian monastic complex about 15 kilometers northeast of the ruins of Ani—the capital of Bagratid Armenia—) in present-day eastern Turkey which got abandoned and ruined due to the Armenian Genocide in 1915. With its collection of churches, chapels and tombs, Horomos has been described as one of the most significant spiritual and cultural religious centers in medieval Armenia and one of the largest in all the Christian East.

Lake Kuyucuk, is a small shallow lake located in Arpaçay district of Kars Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. It has an area of 245 ha and a maximum depth at 13 m. The lake area is an internationally recognized Ramsar site, important for its ornithofauna, and a tourist wildlife reserve.