Built between 1648 and 1655 with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers, Kelisa-ye Vank is the historic focal point of the Armenian Church in Iran. The church’s exterior is unexciting, but the interior is richly decorated and shows the curious mixture of styles – Islamic tiles and designs alongside Christian imagery – that characterizes most churches in Iran.

The brightly colored frescoes took 15 years to create and have recently been restored. The attached cathedral museum displays ancient and historical gospel including the smallest Quran in the world.