Bethlehem Church, Armenian church in New Julfa, Iran
Bethlehem Church is an Armenian place of worship in New Julfa, built with a central dome and walls of adobe brick and glazed tiles. The interior space displays decorative wall paintings arranged in multiple rows depicting religious subjects.
The place of worship was commissioned in 1628 by an Armenian merchant when Isfahan was a center of Armenian diaspora during Safavid times. A major restoration took place in the late 1800s to secure the structure for future generations.
The church reflects the Armenian community that has lived in this quarter for centuries, decorating the inner walls with paintings that tell biblical stories. These artworks show how Armenians have preserved their faith and identity within this sacred space.
The building sits near the center of the quarter and is easy to reach when walking through the lanes of the established neighborhood. A visit works best when you give yourself time to explore the interior at a relaxed pace.
The walls contain wooden trunks built into their structure to provide reinforcement against earthquakes, showing how builders combined practical safety with craft skills. This engineering solution was developed long before modern construction techniques.
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