Mren Cathedral

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Note the rubble from the town that once surrounded the cathedral

The collapsed south wall of the cathedral

The relief over the west door. Two angels look down on Christ, SS. Peter and Paul, and the cathedral's donors

The relief over the north door, showing Heraclius' restoration of the True Cross to Patriarch Modestus of Jerusalem

Practicalities

You no longer need a special permit to visit Mren Cathedral. From Kars, drive about 70 km south along Highway D70, then turn east down a dirt road signed for the village of Karabağ. Park near the grocery store in Karabağ (a few villagers will be probably be around to direct you) and walk three miles east down the tractor road to Mren Cathedral. If you don’t feel like walking, a villager will be more than willing to drive you on his tractor for a small fee.

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Bibliography

Chaumont, M. L. (1986). “Armenia and Iran ii. The pre-Islamic period”. Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 4. pp. 418–438.

T. A. Sinclair, Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey (London, 1987). Vol. I, 384-6.

Thierry, Michel and Nicole, “La cathédral de Mren et sa decoration,” Cahiers Archaéologiques 21 (1971): 43-77.

http://www.virtualani.org/mren/index.htm