St.Tatavoos Cathedral (Qara-Kelissa)
Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party.
Iran (Islamic Republic of) (Asia and the Pacific)
Date of Submission: 22/05/1997
Criteria:
Category:
Cultural
Submission prepared by:
Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization
Coordinates:
Western Azarbaijan, Maku.
Ref.: 896
Description
According to Armenian religious narratives, this is the first church built in Iran by St.Tatavoos, a disciple of the Christ last martyred, and allegedly buried, here. Historic texts first mention this church in the 7th century AD. The building collapsed during an earthquake in AD 1319 (719 AH) and its main body, made of black stone, was restored by the bishop Zakaria during 10 years and completed in AD 1329. The building comprises two parts: a black section, called Qara-Kelissa, and a white section, appended to the latter's western side in AD 1810 (1224 AH). The ensemble appears to emulate the spatial layout of Echmiazin Cathedral in Armenia, attributed to AD 301.



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