New Julfa

Julfa (also New Julfa, Armenian Նոր Ջուղա Nor- Dschuga ) is an Armenian suburb of Isfahan, Iran. It lies on the banks of the Zayandeh River.

After Shah Abbas I. had conquered Armenia in 1603 and recognized two years later, that he could not keep the area, he left behind scorched earth and moved the inhabitants of the town of Julfa to Weber in the south of Isfahan.

In the early 1880s had the about 2000 Armenians from the former 13 shiny six dilapidated churches and a convent, which was the residence of the Armenian bishop. The Catholics had a church with a small Dominican monastery. The distance between New Julfa and Isfahan consisted of a debris field.

Today there are at least 12 churches for about 25,000 Armenian residents of Julfa. These include the Vank Cathedral, the Bedchem Church, St. Mary's Church on Dschulfaplatz and the Yerevan church.