Russian Church, Qazvin Explained

Building Name:Kantur Church, Qazvin
Location:Qazvin, Qazvin Province, Iran
Religious Affiliation:Russian Orthodox Church
Architecture:yes
Architecture Type:Church

Cantor (or Kantur) Church (Persian: Kelisā ye Kantur|script=Latn) (Persian: کلیسای کانتور), is a Russian Orthodox church in Qazvin, Iran.

History and design

The church was built in 1905 for the Russians engineers hired for road constructions in Qazvin.[1] The chapel, like other churches, has a cruciform plan with the altar facing east. The entrance is surrounded by two walls adorned with crosses.[2] There is a three-storey bell-house at the entrance that is bounded by a small dome. Hall includes a chapel and altar, and on both sides, are two rectangular areas. The altar is in the shape of a half circle covered over the dome. Regarding the exterior of the church, decorative columns can be seen.Its architectural planning is based upon an irregular polygon made out of red bricks. The first floor of the bell tower of the chapel gives great views of the surrounding field. The paved churchyard leads to many tombs, one of which belongs to a Russian pilot who was killed when his plane went down during the war.[3] In front of the church is a memorial to a Russian road engineer.[4] The church is sometimes referred to as the "Cantor" or "Kantur" church from the name of the area where it stands.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mollahoseini. M.. Introduction to Cantor Church - Qazvin. 22 April 2011 .
  2. http://www.irantourismcenter.com/?page_id=6375 Cantor Church - Retrieved 8 December 2015
  3. http://www.irantourismcenter.com/?page_id=6375 Cantor Church - Retrieved 8 December 2015
  4. http://rus-church.ae/Pictures/Iran/russkaya-cerkov-iran.pdf РУССКАЯ ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ ЦЕРКОВЬ В ПЕРСИИ - ИРАНЕ (1597-2001 гг.) Игумен Александр (Заркешев) Санкт-Петербург 2002 - Russian Orthodox Church in Persia-Iran 1597-2001, by abbot Alexander Zarkeshev, St Peterburg 2002, pp 70f and 110
  5. http://rus-church.ae/Pictures/Iran/russkaya-cerkov-iran.pdf РУССКАЯ ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ ЦЕРКОВЬ В ПЕРСИИ - ИРАНЕ (1597-2001 гг.) Игумен Александр (Заркешев) Санкт-Петербург 2002 - Russian Orthodox Church in Persia-Iran 1597-2001, by abbot Alexander Zarkeshev, St Peterburg 2002, pp 70f and 110