| Holy Savior Cathedral Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Վանք | |
|---|---|
 Exterior view of the Holy Savior Cathedral. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Location | |
| Location | New Julfa,Isfahan, Iran |
  Shown within Iran | |
| Coordinates | 32°38′06″N51°39′21″E / 32.634911°N 51.655833°E /32.634911; 51.655833 |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1655 (original church in 1606) |
| Completed | 1664 |
TheHoly Savior Cathedral (Armenian:Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Վանք,Surb Amenaprkich Vank;Persian:کلیسای آمناپرکیچ,Kelisâye Âmenâperkich), also known theChurch of the Saintly Sisters, is anArmenian Apostoliccathedral located in theNew Julfa district ofIsfahan,Iran. It is commonly referred to as theVank (Վանք;وانک), which means "monastery" or "convent" in theArmenian language.
The cathedral was established in 1606, built by the hundreds of thousands ofIranian Armenians who were forcibly resettled byAbbas the Great in his new capital as part of his scorched-earth policy in Armenia during theOttoman–Safavid War (1603–1618).[1]
The varying fortunes and independence of this suburb across theZayande River and its eclectic mix ofEuropean missionaries,mercenaries, andtravelers can be traced almost chronologically in the cathedral's combination styles and contrasts in its external and internal architectural treatment.
The construction is believed to have begun in 1606 by the first arrivals,[1] and completed with major alterations to the design between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Archbishop David. The cathedral consists of a domed sanctuary, much like anIranianmosque, but with the significant addition of a semi-octagonalapse and raised chancel usually seen inWestern-stylechurches. The cathedral's exteriors are in relatively modern brickwork and are exceptionally plain compared to its elaborately decorated interior.
The interior is covered with finefrescos and gilded carvings and includes awainscot of rich tile work. The delicately blue and gold painted central dome depicts theBiblical story of the creation of the world andman's expulsion fromEden.Pendentives throughout the church are painted with a motif of acherub's head surrounded by folded wings, typical of Armenian art. The ceiling above the entrance is painted with delicate floral motifs in the style ofPersian miniature. Two sections, or bands, of murals run around the interior walls: the top section depicts events from thelife of Jesus, while the bottom section depicts tortures inflicted uponArmenian martyrs by theOttoman Turks.
.jpg)
.jpg)
The courtyard contains a large freestandingbelfry towering over the graves of bothOrthodox andProtestantChristians. The graves include those of Sir George Malcolm, an English army officer, Alexander Decover, Russian consul and banker, andAndrew Jukes, English surgeon and agent of the British government.[2] A tile work plaque inscribed inArmenian can be seen by the entrance to the cathedral. Graves are also placed along the exterior wall before the entrance, with inscriptions in Armenian. In one corner of the courtyard, there is a raised area with a memorial to the 1915Armenian genocide in Turkey. Across the courtyard and facing the cathedral, there is a building housing a library and museum. Outside of this building are several carved stones showing scenes from the Bible.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
%2c_New_Julfa.JPG)
.jpg)
_(2).jpg)
The library contains over 700 handwritten books and many valuable and unique resources for research in Armenian and medieval European languages and arts. The museum displays numerous artifacts from the history of the cathedral and the Armenian community in Isfahan, including:
The cathedral has greatly influenced the architecture and decorative treatment of many subsequent Orthodox churches in the region.
