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St Thaddeus Monastery photo by

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran

The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran, located in the West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces in Iran, is an ensemble of three Armenian churches that were established during the period between the 7th and 14th centuries A.D.

The edifices; the St. Thaddeus Monastery, the Saint Stepanos Monastery, and the Chapel of Dzordzor have all undergone many renovations. In the article are the top ten fascinating facts about the Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran.

1. The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran have a UNESCO Heritage status

These sites were inscribed as cultural heritages in the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee on 8 July 2008 under UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The three churches lie in a total area of 129 hectares.

They were inscribed under UNESCO criteria (ii), (iii), and (vi) for their outstanding value in showcasing Armenian architectural and decorative traditions.

They are major centres for the diffusion of Armenian culture in the region, and for being a place of pilgrimage for the apostle St. Thaddeus, a key figure in Armenian religious traditions.

2. They represent the last vestiges of old Armenian culture

Saint Stepanos Monastery photo by Halen sobhi –

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The three churches represent the last vestiges of old Armenian culture in its southeastern periphery. The ensemble is in a good state of preservation. The culture of Armenia encompasses many elements that are based on the geography, literature, architecture, dance, and music of the people.

Classical Armenian architecture is divided into four separate periods. The first Armenian churches were built between the 4th and 7th Centuries, beginning when Armenia converted to Christianity and ending with the Arab invasion of Armenia.

The early churches were mostly simple basilicas, but some with side apses. By the 5th century, the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used.

By the 7th century, centrally-planned churches had been built and a more complicated niched buttress and radiating Hrip’simé style had formed.

By the time of the Arab invasion, most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed. The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran, are part of the architecture that helped preserve old Armenian culture.

3. The churches are a place of pilgrimage of the apostle St. Thaddeus

A portrait drawing of St Jude Thaddeus by El Greco –

Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is generally identified with Thaddeus. Jude is also variously called Judas Thaddaeus, Jude Thaddaeus, Jude of James, or Lebbaeus.

He is sometimes identified with Jude, the brother of Jesus, but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus before his crucifixion.

Apostle St. Thaddeus, a key figure in Armenian religious traditions and so the churches are a place of his pilgrimage.

4. What is the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus?

St Thaddeus Monastery photo by

The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus is an ancient Armenian monastery in the mountainous area of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is believed to be one of the oldest church buildings in the world.

Also known as Kara Kilise the “Black Church”, is located about 20 kilometers from the town of Chaldiran. The monastery and its distinctive Armenian conical roofs are visible from long distances.

5. What is the Saint Stepanos Monastery?

Saint Stepanos Monastery photo by Ali Setareh Gooranabad –

The Saint Stepanos Monastery, also known in Armenian as Maghardavank, is an Armenian monastery located about 15 km northwest of the city of Julfa in the province of East Azarbaijan, northwestern Iran.

It is situated in a deep canyon along the Araxes, on the Iranian side of the border between Iran and Nakhchivan. It was originally built in the ninth century and was rebuilt during the Safavid era, after being damaged through wars and earthquakes.

6. What is the Chapel of Dzordzor?

Chapel of Dzordor photo by Afshin Iranpour –

The Chapel of Dzordzor is part of an Armenian monastery located in Maku County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, on the Zangmar River near the village of Baron.

The monastery had its heyday in the fourteenth century before being abandoned and destroyed in the early seventeenth century when Shah Abbas I decided to displace the local Armenians.

7. Why were the monasteries deserted during the 16th and 17th centuries?

During the reign of the Safavid dynasty in the 15th century the monasteries were preserved. The monasteries were then deserted during the 16th and 17th centuries following a period of attacks by the Ottomans that prompted many Armenians to emigrate to central Iran.

8. Saint Stepanos Monastery was rebuilt by Bishop Zachariah

It is recorded that Saint Stepanos Monastery was first established in 649 A.D. and a new building was constructed at the same location in the 10th century. It was a major Christian church during the history of Armenian independence and development.

After it suffered damage due to the earthquake, it was rebuilt by Bishop Zachariah in the 1320s. Also, the monastery was rebuilt during the period from 1819 to 1825 and again became a center of religious activity.

It was refurbished in the 1970s, and again during the period from 1983 to 2001. However, this time it was because it aged.

9. The Dzordzor Chapel was also rebuilt by Bishop Zachariah in 1314

A rebuilt Chapel Dzordzor photo by Mojtaba Esmaeilzad –

The Dzordzor Chapel was built on the bank of the Makuchay River at Dzordzor by Bishop Zachariah in 1314 on very modest lines, making use of the vestiges of an earlier religious monument dated between the 10th and 12th centuries. During the period of Ottoman rule, some parts of the building were destroyed

In agreement with the Armenian Apostolic Church, the building was relocated 600 meters by the Iranian authorities in 1987-1988, following the decision to build a dam on the Zangmar River, to avoid being inundated by the dam reservoir.

10. The three monuments have blended architectural styles

The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran represent a blend of architectural styles from the Byzantine, Persian, Eastern Orthodox, Assyrian, Persian, Muslim, and Armenian cultures. That is why they have outstanding value in showcasing Armenian architectural and decorative traditions.