Ani has spectacular mosques, rustic Armenian churches and towering stone castles that will reward those who want to get off the beaten track. Ani lies to the east of Kars, along the Arpaçay (Akhuryan) River, that forms the border with Armenia to the east. It then remained the chief city of Armenia until Mongol raided it in the 13th century and a devastating earthquake that took place 1319 sent it into an irreversible decline. The proximity of this eerie ghost town to the border can place some restrictions on visitors, but the ruins of the mosques and several churches, together with the cathedral and the citadel, all inside city walls, are worth seeing on this mysterious tour to Kars.