But sometimes, history is rewritten (or at least given a few edits) by archaeologists, historians, and other researchers who unearth the secrets of lost cultures long after the victors have perished. Still, for all we've learned, many mysteries remain.

Although it was once the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, the 5,000-year-old city of Ani now lies within the borders of Turkey. Once called the "City of 1,001 Churches" or the "City of Forty Gates," the formerly powerful, prosperous, and regionally dominant Ani has been abandoned for over 300 years.

Its history had been a violent one, with the city-state having been conquered hundreds of times. At various points, Ani was ruled by the Armenians, the Byzantines, the Georgians, the Kurds, the Ottoman Turks, and the Russians.

Just after World War I, Turkish officials ordered the obliteration of Ani's monuments, which were within Turkey's borders by then. Although the official destruction wasn't complete, looters and vandals added to the ruin of the neglected city.