VANK CATHEDRAL
Holy Savior Cathedral (Kelisa-e-Vank) also known as Vank Cathedral and The Church of the Saintly Sisters, is an Armenian Cathedral in Isfahan, Iran. Vank means "monastery" or "convent" in the Armenian language.
Vank Cathedral was one of the first churches to be established in Isfahan by Armenian deportees settled by Shah Abbas I after the Ottoman War of 1603-1605.
Construction is believed to have begun in 1606, and completed with major alterations to design between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Archbishop David. The cathedral consists of a domed sanctuary, much like a Persian mosque. The interior is covered with fine paintings and gilded carvings.
The courtyard contains a large freestanding belfry towering over the graves of both Orthodox and Protestant Christians. In one corner of the courtyard is a raised area with a memorial to the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Turkey. Across the courtyard and facing the cathedral is a building housing a library and museum.