The Lost City of Ani was once the capital of the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom in the 9th and 10th centuries. Known as the “City of 1001 Churches,” Ani experienced a highly eventful history marked by alternating periods of prosperity, military devastation, and natural disasters. Although the city – now part of the UNESCO World Heritage – has been abandoned for several centuries, it continues to play a significant role in Armenian identity. Despite that, the deserted city remained largely inaccessible for a long time due to its location on the border between present-day Turkey and Armenia – a situation that has gradually begun to change in recent years. In their lecture, Balint Kovaczs and Elke Hartmann describe the multifaceted dynamics that Ani has generated across centuries within and beyond the Ottoman Empire, and how it continues to do so today in Armenia, Turkey, and the Armenian diaspora.