Saint John Church of Sohrol

There are many churches in East Azarbaijan Province, most of which are valuable both from religious and historical points of view. A number of these churches, including St. Stepanos Monastery, have been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage. Saint John Church of Sohrol is an Armenian Catholic church in Sohrol, which is considered one of the most interesting churches in the province.

Where Is Saint John Church of Sohrol Located?

To visit this church, one must travel to Shabestar County, which is one of the westernmost regions of East Azerbaijan Province and has an area of 2750 square kilometers. Due to its geographical location, this county is a transit route, and the Trans-Iranian Railway passes through it. Being located at the foothill of the Mishoodaghi mountain range, which is more than 100 km long and about 30 km wide, this county has a rather cold climate. This mountain range is also the borderline between Shabestar, Marand, and Khoy.

Saint John Church of Sohrol is located in Sohrol Village, 13 km from Tabriz-Marand road and 35 km from Tabriz. Being located in a mountainous region, this church has a magnificent view, especially during the snowfall!

History of Saint John Church of Sohrol

Even though the construction of this building had taken place in 1840 AD, available evidence shows that the existing church was built on the ruins of a church from the 5th or 6th centuries AD. The founder of this building was a rich Armenian named Hagobov who entrusted its construction to Russian and French architects.

The 1936 AD earthquake in this area caused serious damage to the church building, but it was restored after some time as a result of which this church continues to stand strong as one of the most spectacular historical buildings in the region.

Architecture and Features of Saint John Church of Sohrol

The church is trapezoidal in shape. It is 18 meters long and its width is 7.5 meters in the altar area and 5.4 meters on the other side. The exterior beauty of this church is because of its triple domes. The small eastern dome is located on the altar, the middle dome is larger than the other two domes, and the large western dome is located over the central hall and the entrance of the church. The bell of this church is located under the big dome. The eastern dome, covering the altar of the church, rests on an octagonal base.

Brick is the main material used in this building and the entrance, the central hall, and the altar are the three main parts of the building.

There is a brick porch in the western part of the church that ends at the entrance. Two staircases connect this porch to the bell tower, which is actually the tallest part of the building. This tower has a star-shaped structure.

The central hall of the church is a rectangular area with a dome above it. The internal brickwork of the central hall has created a 10-sided shape in it. The construction of a dome with this feature in the Qajar era (19th century) is very remarkable and distinguishes this building from the other buildings built in that era.

Saint John Church of Sohrol was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1968 AD.

Situated in Shabestar, Saint John Church of Sohrol is a magnificent three-dome church that stands beautifully amid the surrounding mountains.