Isfahan is not only famous for its historical Mosques and Synagogues:


http://www.allempires.com/forum/uploads/CyrusShahmiri/2005-06-17_023514_Isfahan.JPG

but this city has some of the most beautiful churches in the world too! :)

During the reign of Shah Abbas, the Safavid king, his sagacious policies caused a sizable number of Armenians from Armenia and Azarbaijan to transfer and settle in Isfahan. A place called Julfa was built at the banks of the Zayande-rud River in Isfahan and became the residence of these migrating people. Consequently, churches were erected in that town.

These are some historical churches in New Julfa: (Apparently the exterior of the churches should not be decorated but look at their lovely interior decorations :))

Vank Cathedral:

http://civil.iut.ac.ir/general/isfahan/Images/Churchez/16VANK21.JPG

http://photos3.worldisround.com/photos/5/329/39.jpg

http://www.irtp.com/howto/partner/partner/pictures/jpg2/091b.jpg

http://members.cox.net/allempires/CHURCH2.JPG

amazing, I never knew about these other churches... Just Jolfa, and it's interesting that it look's like a mosque...

There is a reason why it looks like a Mosque.

When Shah Abbas brought the Armenians to Isfahan, he knew that they were a valuable asset to Persia and so he sought to treat them well and ensure that they settled into Persia well. (Armenian were well known as a highly industrious people).

The treatment the Christian Armenians received brought about resentment from the Muslim population, and so Shah Abbas decreed that any Churches that were to be built should be built as Mosques on the outside and Churches on the inside so as not to inflame local opinions which could have led to a potentially damaging backlash.

There is also a town called Peria, on which I will find a very interesting article.

There is also a Georgian city in Isfahan, some months ago the President of Georgia went to Faridan:

http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=3533455

Later in the day, president traveled to the province of Fereidan to meet ethnic Georgians who had been living there for centuries. After invading Kakheti and Kartli in 1616 Shah Abbas I resettled more than one-hundred-thousand Georgians in the province of Iran - Fereidan.

Although converted to Islam, the Georgian descendents have retained much of the language and Georgian traditions. When Saakashvili arrived in the central town, men began chanting, "gaumarjos, gaumarjos, gaumarjos."

During the brief visit, the delegation distributed Georgian language books to residents. It also became a very emotional meeting for the president.

"I dreamed about coming here and I used to come here in my dreams," Saakashvili told the crowd.

I never knew that. I had been curios about Georgians since I learnt that Ossetians speak a language very similiar to Persian.. I knew that during the Safavid Era, the best soldiers in the Persian Army were the Georgians.. but a Georgian community...wow!

Ossetians differ from Georgians, they are in fact the true descendants of ancient Scythians and Sarmatians .
Oh yes, i knew this... I meant to say my curiosity in Georgians was sparked by Ossetians.. which is a region in Georgia.

Does Vank Cathedral have a cemetery attached to it?
If so, would it have an (accessible) register of those who are laid to rest there?