| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Qareh Kelisa, Chaldoran County, Iran |
| Part of | Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii), (vi) |
| Reference | 1262 |
| Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
| Area | 40 ha (0.15 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 311 ha (1.20 sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 39°5′32″N 44°32′40″E / 39.09222°N 44.54444°E |
  Location of Monastery of Saint Thaddeus in Iran | |
The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus (Armenian: Սուրբ Թադէոսի վանք, Surb Tadeosi vank; Persian: کلیسای تادئوس مقدس, Kelisā-ye Tādeus moghadas) is an ancient Armenian monastery in the mountainous area of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. It is believed to be one of the oldest church buildings in the world.
Also known as Kara Kilise (the "Black Church")[1] (Persian: قره کلیسا, Qare Kelisā), it is located about 20 kilometers from the town of Chaldiran.[2][3] The monastery and its distinctive Armenian conical roofs are visible from long distances.[4]
The Monastery is site of the Pilgrimage of St. Thaddeus which in 2020 was added by UNESCO to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.[5]
- ^ Korbendau, Yves; Parker, Claire; McElhearn, Kirk (2008). The Many Faces of Iran. Paris: ACR Editions. ISBN 9782867701535.
- ^ "St Thaddeus Monastery". Index of Armenian Art: Armenian Architecture. Archived from the original on 2010-06-10.
- ^ Trotta, Liz (1998). Jude: A Pilgrimage to the Saint of Last Resort. San Francisco: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060682743.
- ^ "Thadeus Monastery". Armenica.org.
- ^ "UNESCO - Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery".