St. Thaddeus Monastery (Qara Kelisa)

🕰️When was it built?

The first building is attributed to the early centuries of Christianity, and the church has been ruined and rebuilt several times. Today's building has an older black part and a newer white part. In the Qajar period, Abbas Mirza ordered the white stone section built west of the old church, but the work was left unfinished when he died.

🏛️What was it built for?

This is an Armenian pilgrimage site and a place for religious ceremonies. The complex is more than the church itself: rooms were built for monks, guards, scholars and a library. Two courtyards and spaces such as a kitchen, a refectory and a food store were also part of monastic life here.

👀What you will see

• The east part is built of black stone and holds the altar, side rooms and a small dome; the west part is white stone.
• Defensive walls surround the complex, and five watchtowers give it the look of a fortress.
• There are two courtyards, east and west, and 47 rooms that were used for work and lodging by the church community.
• The ceiling over the altar is decorated with black and white marble, and many reliefs cover the outer walls.
• Inside the grounds are several gravestones and a stone basin, and a place for lighting candles is built into the wall.

💡Something interesting

Qara means black in Turkish, and the name Qara Kelisa, the Black Church, refers to the black stones of the old part. Next to it stands the white Qajar building, whose carved decoration was inspired by Etchmiadzin Cathedral.