First forced 150,000 Armenians to completely abandon their flourishing city of Jugha under penalty of death. He moved them into the heart of Persia, hoping to harness their entrepreneurial and artisanal skills for his empire. In the same year, an edict of the shah established New Julfa, on what was then the outskirts of Isfahan. The construction of Vank Cathedral began immediately after. The building’s structure combines traditional Armenian architectural styles with the region’s Islamic architecture. The resulting church has rich frescoes and tile work, as do some of the other Armenian churches in New Julfa.
