Churches of Jolfa and their stories
Speaking about historical monuments is a broad topic that, when intertwined with religious beliefs, reveals its most beautiful manifestations. One of these manifestations is the role of art in the construction of churches. As you navigate the twists and turns of the Aras River, the enormous yellow and reddish stones come into view, majestically and gracefully sitting side by side.
Saint Stephanus Church is a relic from the ancient past that, thanks to its inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, has gained renown beyond its borders. There isn’t a day that it doesn’t welcome groups of visitors into its intertwined courtyards. This complex includes Saint Stephanus Church, the Church of the Virgin Mary, and the Shepherd’s Church in the beautiful and border town of Jolfa, alongside the twists and turns of the Aras River in East Azarbaijan, as well as Saint Thaddeus Church in West Azarbaijan, chtn.ir wrote.
Saint Stephanus Church is located 16 kilometers west of Jolfa, about three kilometers from the southern bank of the Aras River, near an abandoned village called Darreh Sham. The church is named after “Stephanus,” the first martyr of Christianity. There are numerous statements regarding the history of this building’s construction. Some regard it as a monument from the early Christian period, while others, like Tavernier, attribute its construction to the Safavid era. However, the architectural style and materials indicate that this church was built between the 10th and 12th centuries CE.
Saint Stephanus is situated in a lush valley surrounded by trees, enclosed by a stone wall that resembles a fortress, featuring a tall rampart with seven watchtowers and five cylindrical stone buttresses, reminiscent of the robust fortifications from the Sassanid era and the early Islamic period. Above the large wooden door of the church’s courtyard, a relief sculpture of the Virgin Mary and the childhood of Jesus, displaying a serene and smiling expression, welcomes visitors and guides them toward the church building, which consists of three parts: the bell tower, the prayer hall, and Daniel’s oven.
The bell tower of the church is situated on a two-story porch attached to the southern wall of the church. The tower is adorned with reliefs of angels, crosses, floral patterns, and eight-pointed stars. This tower is a fine example from the Qajar period and was restored during the time of Abbas Mirza, the Crown Prince. At the entrance of the prayer hall, there is a beautiful marquetry decoration integrated into the middle of the western side, which is said to comprise over a thousand pieces of wood. In this part of the church, the stone carvings of the bases, half-columns, side chains, and muqarnas are considered masterpieces of stone carving art.
A red sandstone inscription in Nasta’liq script can be seen above the entrance door and below the archway of the church. Reliefs of angels are carved into the archways of the sixteen large sides of the central dome, which actually serve as the base of the tall and beautiful prayer hall dome. The dome is constructed in a pyramidal shape with 32 sides, set upon a star-shaped plan. In the wide archways, windows with a double-arch design are installed, featuring reliefs of one of the angels within a rectangular frame that adorns the exterior. Among the interesting decorations inside the temple are three stone prayer platforms with beautiful and intricate carvings.
The beauty and many details of this complex have made it, along with several other churches, one of the first globally recognized sites in the province, attracting a large number of tourists each year. Another church in this collection is the Chapel of Chupan, sometimes called the Shepherd’s Chapel. Its prayer hall is located in Jolfa, alongside the Aras River, on the border between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the way to Saint Stephanus Church.
This church features a cross-shaped plan enclosed within a rectangle and has a central dome. The dome is supported by a cylindrical base and has a unique shape. As mentioned in its history, this prayer hall was primarily used by poor shepherds, and thus, its construction reflects the simple, beautiful, and unembellished lives of these shepherds.
The last church in this complex, located in East Azarbaijan Province, is the Church of the Virgin Mary. It is situated at the confluence of the “Aqchay” and Aras rivers, in a naturally flat and expansive area, bordering the southern side of the Aras, and hosts the rocky village of Darreh Sham. On the eastern edge of this village, the Church of the Virgin Mary has been established. This church does not have an inscription or stone tablet that can be referenced for dating the construction, but according to historical evidence and texts, its origins can be traced back to the Safavid period and even earlier.
The Church of the Virgin Mary and the village of Darreh Sham were active and thriving until the Safavid era. This simple and beautiful church is constructed using stone materials, while inside, there are plastered walls, and some areas display paintings. Entry to this church is only possible by passing beneath the sole carved stone inscription, adorned with floral, vine, and cross decorations that will leave a lasting impression on every visitor’s mind.