On a hill a castle, Narin Kale, originaly an Armenian fortress, but devastated during the Krimian war, that is still in military service guards the city.

Under Abbas I the capital of the Armenian "Begratide Empire" state was transferred to Kars. Later the capital was transferred back to Ani, but under Musjegh a new kingdom was founded, with Kars as its capital. Later it bacem Georgian, until the Ottomans took it in 1585. During two periods (1854-56 and 1877-1920) is was in Russian hands, in 1921 it became Turkish once more.