The Holy Mary Church

The Holy Mary Church, also known as Zoor Zoor Church, is one of Iran’s prominent historical attractions. This church is located near the Baroon Dam, 13 kilometers from the city of Maku, in the village of Baroon. From 1315 to 1324 AD, the church and monastery of Saint Mary were built by Bishop Bessarion Zacharia. This building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original name of this church was “Zoor Zoor Church,” and it acquired this name due to the presence of Hovhannes Yerz, a famous painter, during that period.

The structure of the church is of the basilica type and resembles a small prayer house. It is constructed using cut stones of various sizes. The facade of the church is very simple, adorned only with pilasters surrounding the windows and openings that terminate in pointed arches. The church was relocated from its original location in 1367 due to the threat of destruction during the revitalization of the plains of Maku. The relocation process took 25 days, and the building was moved to a safer location 600 meters away and onto a rocky outcrop about 110 meters higher than the original site. After the relocation process was completed, a stone plaque was also installed on the wall of the church.