St. Stephanos Monastery

the first church was built around the 7th century and completed in the 10th century; it was severely damaged by the earthquake and restored by Safavids mainly as a result of their rivalry with the Ottoman empire. The church is dedicated to St. Stephanos, the first martyr of Christianity. Its architecture is a mixture of Urartu, Parthian, and Byzantine architecture that was reflected in other churches like the Black Church. It was abandoned in the 16th century when the whole area was evacuated, but it was restored by Qajars and their Armenian refuge.