Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
8 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
8 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
9 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iran Isfahan Vank Cathedral

Vank Cathedral

The cathedral stands in New Jufa, Isfahan's Armenian quarter that was established in 1606.

Isfahan, Iran

Added By
armeniapedia
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Vank Cathedral exterior today.   Rasool abbasi17/cc by-sa 4.0
Vank Cathedral exterior today.   Rasool abbasi17/cc by-sa 4.0
Interior of Vank Cathedral.   Antoine Taveneaux/cc by-sa 4.0
Statue of Khachatur Kesaratsi, founder of the first publishing house in Iran.   Rye-96/cc by-sa 4.0
Christmas display at an Armenian shop in New Julfa.   Rye-96/cc by-sa 4.0
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Vank Cathedral Isfahan   vasilisapremudra / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1606, Persian Shah Abbas the First forced 150,000 Armenians to completely abandon their flourishing city of Jugha under penalty of death. He moved them into the heart of Persia (now Iran), hoping to harness their entrepreneurial and artisanal skills for his empire. In the same year, an edict of the shah established New Julfa, on what was then the outskirts of Isfahan.

The construction of Vank Cathedral began immediately after. The building's structure combines traditional Armenian architectural styles with the region's Islamic architecture. The resulting church has rich frescoes and tile work, as do some of the other Armenian churches in New Julfa.

Vank Cathedral also has a library and museum, which includes an Armenian book that was the first book ever printed in Iran, as well as edicts by Abbas I and other shahs forbidding interference with or persecution of the Armenians. 

New Julfa is undergoing a rise in popularity with young people who visit some of the many cafes. There are a total of 16 Armenian churches in the district today, plus an Armenian school and community center.

Related Tags

Churches Cathedral Architecture Libraries Museums Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

armeniapedia

Edited By

vasilisapremudra

  • vasilisapremudra

Published

July 22, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Julfa
Vank Cathedral
‫تقی آبادی
Isfahan
Iran
32.634905, 51.655747
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Khaju Bridge

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Pigeon Towers of Iran

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isfahan

Isfahan

Iran

Places 4

Nearby Places

Khaju Bridge

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Pigeon Towers of Iran

Isfahan, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isfahan

Isfahan

Iran

Places 4

Related Places

  • Shetland Library

    Lerwick, Scotland

    Shetland Library

    This public library still showcases its former life as a 19th-century church.

  • The basilica’s twin towers

    Guelph, Ontario

    Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate

    A 1975 bylaw prohibits the construction of any building that would block the view of this Gothic Revival church.

  • Nave of the church.

    Paris, France

    Notre-Dame-de-Lorette

    Claude Monet was baptized in this lavishly ornate Paris church.

  •  Angel playing bagpipes in the Thistle Chapel.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    St Giles' Cathedral Thistle Chapel

    The 20th-century chapel’s intricate woodwork includes amazing details, most notably angels playing bagpipes.

  • Sharon Temple.

    East Gwillimbury, Ontario

    Sharon Temple

    An architectural marvel built by a nearly forgotten Canadian Quaker sect, the Children of Peace.

  • St. Sophia, side view.

    Polotsk, Belarus

    St. Sophia's Cathedral

    Though it was heavily modified, fragments of the original medieval cathedral still survive.

  • St. Magnus Cathedral.

    Kirkjubøur, Faroe Islands

    St. Magnus Cathedral

    This mysterious, medieval cathedral remains unbuilt but fiercely protected.

  • The cathedral exterior.

    Genoa, Italy

    Genoa Cathedral

    This cathedral hides a sculpted dog that determines your fate and an unexploded shell from World War II.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.