Tigran Honents Church

Top choice


Appealingly sited overlooking a stretch of river gorge, this 13th-century church appears relatively intact, though the current main door is within what was once an internal wall, patched up after the western end of the nave was lost. Built in 1215 by a pious merchant, Tigran Honents, it is dedicated to St Gregory the Illuminator, but sometimes known in Turkish as Resimli Kilise (Church with Pictures) due to the lively, if partly defaced, frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible and Armenian church history.

The site is essentially invisible from the rest of Ani until you start to descend the curl of access steps.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Küçük Hamam

0.06 MILES

Near the Church of St Prkitch are the excavated remnants of this late 11th-century bathhouse.

2. Church of St Prkitch

0.13 MILES

Walking from the west, Ani's distinctive Church of the Redeemer (1034–36) looks strikingly complete despite the supporting scaffolding. From other angles,…

3. Convent of the Virgins

0.18 MILES

Out of bounds just above Arpaçay gorge, this complex of ruins is most notable for the dainty, serrated-domed chapel (probably 11th-century) enclosed by a…

4. Ani Cathedral

0.3 MILES

Completed in 1010, the grassy-roofed cathedral is the largest building among the Ani ruins. The building's elegantly finished stone walls are relatively…

5. Silk Road Bridge Supports

0.33 MILES

Two unconnected brick towers are all that remain of a once important 9th-century bridge that formerly straddled the Arpaçay, the river that now forms the…

6. Ebu'l Muammeran Camii

0.4 MILES

The most substantial remnant of this 11th-century mosque is its minaret, now lying on its side with the spiral stairs inside clearly visible. It was…

7. Manuçehr Camii

0.46 MILES

Ani's 1072 Manuçehr Camii was built by the Seljuk Turks, using Armenian architects and artisans, creating a stylistic blend in what is considered to have…

8. Kervansaray

0.46 MILES

The Church of the Holy Apostles (Arak Elots Kilisesi) dates from 1031, but after the Seljuks took the city in 1064 they added a gateway with a fine dome…