Like most of Isfahan attractions, Vank Cathedral was built during the rule of Shah Abbas, who moved the capital of the Persian Empire from Qazvin to Isfahan in 1598. The cathedral was established in 1606 for hundreds of thousands of Armenian deportees who came during the Ottoman war. The construction was finally completed in 1655 – 1664 when the major design changes were amended by Archbishop David.
The cathedral has a domed sanctuary, looking a lot like mosques, but semi-octagonal apse and raised chancel makes it western-looking. The variety of building styles, used for the cathedral and its surroundings, reflects the history of the district, filled with European travelers, missionaries, and mercenaries.
