Armenian Monasteries in Iran Added to UNESCO Heritage List
The monasteries, in the northwest of
the country, consist of three sites of the Armenian Christian faith: St
Thaddeus and St Stepanos and the Chapel of Dzordzor. The structures - the
oldest of which, St Thaddeus, dates back to the 7th century - are examples of
Armenian architectural and decorative traditions.
"They bear testimony to very important interchanges with the other
regional cultures, in particular the Byzantine, Orthodox and Persian,"
UNESCO said in a press release.
The monasteries were a major center for the dissemination of Armenian culture
into Azerbaijan and Persia.
"They are the last regional remains of this culture that are still in a
satisfactory state of integrity and authenticity," UNESCO said.
"Furthermore, as places of pilgrimage, the monastic ensembles are living
witnesses of Armenian religious traditions through the centuries."
The monastery ensemble is the fourth cultural site to be added Sunday to
UNESCOs World Heritage List since the start of the 32nd session of the World
Heritage Committee. The three other properties added were: Le Morne Cultural
Landscape in Mauritius, The Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madain Salih) in Saudi
Arabia, and the Fujian Tulou in China.
