about Ghara Church in West Azarbaijan
province
(in IRAN) This church, which is the graveyard of Saint Thaddaeus, was
built during the 8th centery AD in Chaldoran village (near Maku)
at the foot of a hill. Black and white stones were applied in
the construction of this church, but it was restored during the
13th century AD after it was destroyed as a result of an
earthquake The martydom anniversary of Saint Thaddaeus, is a day when
special rituals are performed in the church and this place is
one of the most important places of worship for the Iranian
Armenians
The dome of the church resembles a pyramid with 12 buttresses
and the eastern exterior has been decorated with black stone and
that is one reason why the church is called Ghara Kelisa,
meaning black church. In the eastern and ancient side of the
church which belongs to the 10th centery, there is a courtyard
and preaching hall on the entrance of which an inscription in
Armenian presents some details about the main building and other
inscriptions indicate that the building of the church was
repaired in 1814 AD on the order of crown prince Abbas Mirza
Qajar In various interiors and exteriors of the church there are
relief exhibits which demonstrate religious meetings, the
picture of the saints and the scenes of the historical tales of
the holy book along with numerous decorative and ornamental
designs, all with great worth and value from the artistic and archaeological point of view
YES! IRAN IS BEAUTIFUL...
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