Excavations are being carried out at 6 locations to reveal the history underground.

The archaeological site in Kars, which is the first gateway from Central Asia to Near East and from the Caucasus to Anatolia, contains works of Turkish-Islamic architecture from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Excavations in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Kafkas University are being carried out at six locations this year at the site, which was ruled by the Bagratid Dynasty, Byzantine, Great Seljuk, Georgian Kingdom, Mongols, Ilkhanates, Karakoyunlu, Akkoyunlu and Ottoman Empires throughout history, where Christians and Muslims lived side by side.

The work, carried out by a team of 130 people including art historians, archaeologists, architects and restorer architects, aims to unearth historical structures and artifacts underground.

Ani Archaeological Site Excavation Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammet Arslan stated that this year's excavation season, which began in April, will continue until December 31.

Arslan stated that scientists and students from different universities also took part in the excavations and said:

"The Seljuk residences among our excavations are significant. We believe there was a large neighborhood west of our Grand Mosque (Abu'l Menuchehr Mosque), the first mosque built by Turks in Anatolia. Our work here has been ongoing since 2019. This year, we continue to unearth residences in Ani, which are important examples of Seljuk-era civil architecture."

Explaining that excavations are continuing in two stages in the Seljuk Bazaar, Arslan said:

"We believe that a long axis, particularly in the very center of Ani, extending from the Lion Gate to the Ani Ulu Mosque, was dedicated to trade, as evidenced by our excavations. This area was organized as both workshops and sales outlets, and we are also uncovering commercial spaces from the Seljuk period. Another important excavation site is the Seljuk Cemetery, which we first began excavating in 2021 and are continuing this season. Located approximately 30 meters southwest of the Fethiye Mosque, this area is considered the first Turkish-Islamic cemetery in Anatolia. Here, we are unearthing the remains of an octagonal dome, as well as what we call cist-type and akit-type tombs."

Arslan stated, "As part of our conservation efforts, we are striving to preserve the architectural artifacts we have unearthed during excavations that have lain underground for 1,000 years, to make them more durable and to pass them on to future generations in a healthy state. We are also working on the restoration of movable artifacts. Our team at our excavation house is restoring movable artifacts such as stone, terracotta, glass, and bone in the laboratory. We are donating the most suitable ones to the Kars Museum for display."

Arslan stated that they are carrying out landscaping work in addition to excavations at the site, saying, "As part of the landscaping work, we are continuing to build walking paths within the city walls. We will hopefully complete a nearly 5.5-kilometer tour route with natural stones and wooden sleepers by the end of the season, allowing our visitors to tour in a more comfortable and healthy environment."