Armenian churches of Julfa annually bring 3 million tourists to Iran

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: It is a long time Armenians do not live in Iranian city of Julfa, but the Armenian churches are still standing. Two of the Armenian monuments of Eastern Atrpatakan province – St. Stepanos and Shepherd’s (Hovvi) Monasteries, have been recently repaired on the initiative of the Iranian authorities, becoming the most famous tourist sites of the city.

As Armenpress reports, during Armenian journalists’ visit to Julfa, the head of the city’s Tourist Department said that St. Stepanos Monastery located at the bank of Arax River hosts about 3 million tourists annually.

St. Stepanos monastery is one of the 9th century Armenian religious complexes, which is about 15 km northwest of Julfa city. 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.