TEHRAN--
Cultural Heritage Organization (CHO) and the
Armenian Caliphate in Iran, the historical
Zorzor church, located in West Azarbaijan
Province, was transferred to another location
and thus saved from complete destruction.
The church, built on a rocky elevation near
Zangomar River atop a rocky elevation some 600
years back, was exposed to drowning By the
Baroon Dam reservoir in 1985 when the Ministry
of Energy started to construct the dam.
According to CHO, during three stages
of rescue operations the church was dismantled
from its present location and re-assembled and
restored near Baroon village.
CHO experts in West Azerbaijan Province say
that by applying a coding system, numbering
the slabs and also drawing blueprints, they
have succeeded in properly re-assembling the
monument intact.
Also, archaeological studies shows that Zorzor
church had been built in the fourteenth
century over the ruins of a former Armenian
church belonging to seventh century A.D.
Although the stones and the mortar used in
these two churches differs, Zorzor church
closely resembles the older cross-like church.
Gharis, Karabakh and Golparchin churches in
West Azarbaijan have been repaired and
renovated during the past few years as well.
