Would you like to travel to the historical and pristine places of Iran? What do you know about the cultural and ancient works of Iran? How many famous places in Iran that are on the world heritage list have you seen up close? Saint Stephen’s Church in Iran is one of the sights of East Azerbaijan and the second most important Armenian church in Iran, which will be very interesting and different. This church, along with “Qara Kesila” and “Maryam St. Church” as a group of churches of Azerbaijan, were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
If you would like to learn more about St. Stephen’s Church in Julfa, join Hey Persia in the rest of this article and learn about the location of St. Stephen’s Church, the history of the church, the architecture and interior and exterior of the church, the access route, the best time to visit, accommodation and Visiting hours, get information.
Where is Saint Stephen’s Church in Iran?
To see St. Stepanos Church, you have to travel to the heart of the mountain and the beautiful nature of the Arsbaran region and the Ars border river. This church is located near the city of Jolfa and Azerbaijan in an area called “Qezel Wang” or the Red Monastery. The distance from Jolfa to St. Stephen’s Church is to be about 17 kilometers.
Introducing Saint Stephen’s Church in Iran
It is that the name of this church is taken from the first martyr of Christianity “Stephen St. Stephanus”, one of the 7 main apostles of Christ. St. Stephanus, also known as St. Stephen, was stoned to death by Jews in Jerusalem in 36 AD
When was Saint Stephen’s Church in Iran built?
There is no exact date about the age of St. Stephen’s Church, the oldest date for the construction of this building dates back to 649 AD. But some others believe that this building was built in 976 AD. Similar to St. Stephen’s Church in Jolfa, it has a counterpart on the northern bank of Aras River, which seems to have been built at the same time by the same person due to the similarity of these two churches.
Some sources say that Saint Stephen’s Church was built in the Safavid period, but since the building materials used and its architectural style are very similar to the church, it seems that it was built in the 10th to 12th centuries AD in the combined style of Urato, Parthian and Roman architecture. has been made Unfortunately, this building was seriously damaged during the Safavid period after a very strong earthquake that occurred in this area. in such a way that they restored it during the Safavid era.
During the Qajar period, Abbas Mirza also ordered the restoration and repair of St. Stephen’s Church in Jolfa. This building has renovated several times, the last time was in 2004, which some bone remains, some pieces of wood left from the coffin, some yellow and brick colored cloth, some pieces of wax, ocher clay and some frankincense between 2 The church vault discovered. Experts say, these bones belong to Christian apostles and saints who are here.
Saint Stephen’s Church Name
The name of St. Stephanos Church is from the Greek word (Stephanos) which means a crown and a symbol of the last level of perfection, although some others believe; It is by the name of the first Christian martyr.
Architecture and interior of St. Stephen’s Church
After passing through a beautiful green path in the heart of nature, you will see a very beautiful 16-sided stone dome from a distance, which is on a cylindrical column. This ancient work is by stone walls, as if you have entered a castle or a stone fortress. This building has a rampart, 7 guard towers and 5 stone cylindrical backs. St. Stephen’s Church is also “Nam Vang” in Armenian. This holy church consists of various parts, which we will mention below:
Chapel of Stepanos Church
The chapel of Stepanos Church has dimensions equal to 16 x 21 meters, and an inlaid wooden door was for it in the Qajar period.
Daniel of Stepanos church
Daniel is actually a hall 20 meters long and 6 meters wide, which is next to the northern wall and a part of the interior, where the baptism ceremony performed. The name Daniel was for this part after the Prophet Daniel does not turn Rather, Daniel was the name of one of the Christian saints and religious people in the 5th century, whom Armenians respected very much. The bell tower was during the period of Qajar crown prince Abbas Mirza.
The bell tower of St. Stephen’s Church
One of the most beautiful parts of the church, which is located in the southern part of the building, is the bell tower. This tower is a pyramid-shaped and octagonal dome that is on 8 red stone cylindrical columns with very special and beautiful capitals and a bell is on top of it.
Inscriptions in the courtyard of Saint Stephen’s Church
In 1830, Abbas Mirza, the crown prince of Iran, was the governor of Azerbaijan during the Qajar period. In order to develop the church and respect other religions, he bought the village of Dereh Sham from “Mohab Ali Beyk Nakhchivan” and dedicated it to the church.
Dome of St. Stephen’s Church
The 16-sided dome is a part of the interior of the church, which is in the form of a cross and consists of 3 parts, the porch, the altar, and the prayer hall. The floor of the mihrab section is to be 96 cm higher than the other parts so that the worshipers can be closer to God in the mihrab. The stairs and the altar itself are of marble. In the interior of Stepanos Church, there are decorations of 3 stone chapels with special decorations that built in the Qajar period.
Late St. Stephen’s Church
In the outer area of the church and next to this complex, there is a door where travelers and pilgrims rest on the upper floor and put their animals in the stable. In addition to a room for rest, there is also a library in this door. The important point is the type of architecture and even the late stones, which are different from the church.
Museum of St. Stephen’s Church in Jolfa
The church museum consists of two main and side parts, where inscriptions, historical works, etc. are in the main part. In the side section, stone replicas and pictures of historical Armenian churches shown to the visitors.
Access route to St. Stephen’s Church
To visit this historical monument, you need to move from Tabriz to Jolfa, enter Bazargan-Bileh road, and after finding the church, park the car in the parking lot and walk the rest of the way to St. Stephen’s Church. There are no amenities in this area. So be sure to bring water and some snacks with you. Because visiting St. Stepanos Jolfa Church may take about 5 to 4 hours and you will tired or confused.
Visiting hours of Saint Stephen’s Church
In the first six months of the year, due to the longer days, visiting hours are from 9 am to 7 pm. But in the second 6 months of the year, due to the turbulence of Aras River, short days and unfavorable weather conditions, the church is open for visiting from 9 am to 5 pm.
Where to stay after visiting St. Stephen’s Church in Jolfa?
If you have come to visit this ancient red church from a distance, you will need a place to stay and rest for the night, it is better to rest and spend the night in the city of Jolfa, which is located a short distance from the area.
St. Stephen’s Church in Iran
In this part, we tried to talk to you about St. Stephen’s Church, one of the sights of East Azerbaijan, which was in the national register in 1341 AD, and provide you with everything you need. If you intend to travel and get the necessary information about this church, we suggest that you travel to this area in a group with a leader. If you plan to travel to St. Stephen’s Church, go with Hey Persia Travel Agency.
Hey Persia is a safe and different choice for middle-aged people, which helps them experience a different and desirable trip with different interests. Rest assured, we will do our best to provide services suitable for the age and status of your loved ones and to satisfy you. It is enough to join us once in Iran tours to become our constant companions.
