The St. Stepanos Monastery (Armenian: Սուրբ Ստեփանոս վանք; Maghardavank Մաղարդավանք) is an Armenian monastery about 15 km northwest of
Jolfa city, East Azarbaijan Province northeast
Iran.
It is situated in a deep canyon along the Arax river on the Iranian side of the border between
Azerbaijan and
Iran. It was built in the 9th century and rebuilt in the Safavid era after several earthquakes damaged it.
Church of St Stephanos
Stephanos among the Christian symbols of faith and he called Nakhvtka have Stephen or Astpatvs first was due to prejudice and resentment of Jews stoning and martyrdom , the incident on December 26 in 37 AD in Jerusalem happened and it Christians around the world every year since the day he was called up to the ceremony .
Church of St Stephanos at 26 km West Julfa Aras local village name Salmon Wang ( monastery red ) in Nrdyktryn Valley Village Supper is located, formerly the Highland Malraux , and from 1350 the car door made because the range of mountains Maqarat were the words of Saint Stephanos Maqarat also refers.
Saint
...see more Stephanos church is located in a castle built on a collection of sacred buildings in the fort Stephanos Wang Wang Maqarat say, the Armenian community Vang·hay Tllab Wang , like many other writers, philosophers and historians and scientists calligrapher Vtzhyb Karan was Wang Stephanos of two terms are important for the Armenian church famous for their style and cultural dimension of religious and cultural centers of many Armenians and calligrapher calligrapher Wang in together and began writing books , artists and athletes refine their art of beauty
The exact Date of the founding of the Church of St Stephanos is not completely understood , researchers speculate the seventh to ninth centuries AD, the church is built .
The oldest document about the year 649 AD, which is long in the knowledge that , in the reign Shvt Bagradvny king of Armenia , Katalykvs Khachik religious leader of Armenians in the year 266 ( AD - BC ) with 976 deaths Archbishop balcony she lived in Saint Stephanos Wang led the king 's expense church built in the area .
Hakvp Jvqatysy the years 1633 to 1655 / 1043 to 1066 Stephanos Wang was the pope in 1643 AD / 1053 AH - AH reconstruction and restoration of the church began in 1655/1066 AH - AH ended .
Subsequent restoration of the church between the years 1682/1094 to 1691/1102 took place on the fourth stage of church rebuilt by Abbas Mirza in 1826/1243 was carried out .
Abbas Mirza in the year 1246 AH - AH / 1830 AD Valley Village dinner amounted to one hundred dollars of Mohebali Nakhjivani purchase and dedicate Wang said Stephanos , an inscription in hieroglyphics on limestone to the occasion with its red rocks of monument church , the church has been installed at the entrance .
The church is located in a lush area , the building is cylindrical and cone-shaped dome covers it .
The original church building has three parts :
1 ) 16 sided dome of the church courtyard .
2 ) bell tower .
3 ) Daniel oven .
16- dome church courtyard side
Courtyard church or prayer house during the 90/13 W 80/12 meters, roughly in the middle of the main area of the church with the entry on the west side is located in the entrance with wooden door is very beautiful , with a door on South axis is of dimension 5 / 1 * 5/2 meters , from the early works of the Qajar inlaid doors , the door surface is decorated with inlaid Mykhkvbyhay metal parts around Mogharnas a vault door that is unique in its kind , inscription in Persianengineer input Hacoupian Tips cited
Almighty God, in His mercy and will of the western facade of the Church of Saint Stephanos Qamal Nakhjivani by his wife Mary and his mother , Lady Flower Memorial Service was founded in 1704 .
Dome of 16 polygons church roof, central cross represents and the eastern part of the cross, the altar, the church , the altar in the east of the temple is located 96 cm from the floor Nmazgah louder and the eastern part of the cross at the head of the cross, the church altar is floor covering up the marble steps of the altar .
to light candles on it used to be .
flower ornament has eight .
According to Mr. Hacoupian the wants and most of them have not read the top of the west wall of the vault Mogharnas and above all the big shots wide chain ornament is beautiful .
In the central part of the church 's exterior walls of different designs out there that follows the philosophy of design and architects everywhere have attempted Genesis Christ Outreach , the sacrifice of Christ , the work and effort he and his friends Janbazyhay to embody the .
An example of wooden architecture masterpieces of the great library of the church has had in place .
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stepanos_Monastery
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