Golestan building, Beheshti Street, Karaj, Alborz

+98 26 34213531, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

+98 939 1725252 ONLINE BOOKING

Monastery of Saint Stepanos

St. Stepanos Church is one of the Armenian churches in Iran, which is located in the heart of a hill overlooking the Aras River near the northwestern border of Iran. The church is named after St. Stephen, the first martyr in Christianity.

The character of Stepanos or St. Stephen is sacred to various religions, that’s why there are many churches with the same name around the world. The exact construction date of St. Stephen's Church is not known, but experts attribute the antiquity of this magnificent building to the tenth and twelfth centuries AD due to the use of special decorations and special architectural style. The historical and artistic value of this church led to the inclusion of St. Stephen as one of the three leading Armenian churches in Iran in 2006 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Saint Stepanos Church 

The Church of St. Stepanos consists of three main parts. The first part is the prayer hall which is located under a tall dome of the building; the sanctuary of the church and the place of worship of Armenians are also located in this part. The other part of St. Stephen's church, called "Ojaq-e Daniel", was designed for travelers to stay and relax, and it was also used as a meeting hall for some religious ceremonies, such as baptism. The last part is the belfry of St. Stephen church, which was badly damaged over time, and in the early periods of Qajar dynasty, during the "Abbas Mirza" period, its bell was repaired and sent to Italy for restoration, but never returned back to Iran. The exterior view of the church is also decorated with beautiful reliefs such as the portrait of the Virgin Mary, the birth of Jesus Christ, the stoning of St. Stephen and the crucifixion of Christ and his companions. The tombstones and propylaeum of the church have valuable inscriptions in Armenian script. The border road from the city of Julfa has an exit route marked with a sign that takes you to the Church of St. Stepanos.

Tags: East Azarbaijan Province, Churches in Iran , UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Iran Historical Attractions, East Azarbaijan Attractions, Monastery of Saint Stepanos

Print Email

GO TO TOP
Clear Sky

12.79°C

Tehran

Clear Sky
Humidity: 16%
Wind: W at 2.06 M/S

Newsletter Subscribe

We love to share new offers and exlusive promotions