The Armenian Church is a Historically Significant Architectural Monument

The Armenian Church is a Historically Significant Architectural Monument

The Armenian Church may be a historically significant architectural monument situated within the Armanitola area of old Dhaka, Bangladesh. The church bears testimony to the existence of a big Armenian community within the region within the 17th and 18th centuries.

Following the domination of their homeland by Persian powers of the time, Armenians were sent by their new rulers to the Bengal region for both political and economic reasons. Although the Armenian presence in South Asia is now insignificant, their presence in Dhaka dates back to the 17th century. Armenians came to Dhaka for business. In Dhaka, Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather, and profitability in these businesses convinced some to maneuver permanently to Bangladesh. the world where they lived became referred to as Armanitola.

The Armenian Church

In 1781, the now famous Armenian Church was built on Armenian Street in Armanitola, then a thriving downtown . the location was an Armenian graveyard before the church was built, and therefore the tombstones that have survived function a chronicle of Armenian life within the area. Agaminus Catachik, an Armenian, gave away the land to create the church. Michel Cerkess, Okotavata Setoor Sevorg, Aga Amnius, and Merkers Poges helped build the church.

In the 50 years following the church's construction, a tower was erected on its western side. Allegedly, the clock might be heard four miles away, and other people synchronized their watches with the sound of the tower's bell. The clock stopped in 1880, and an earthquake destroyed the tower in 1897.

The church is 750 feet (230m) long . it's four doors and 27 windows. the most floor is split into three parts: a pulpit enclosed by railings, a middle section with two folding doors, and a neighborhood separated by a wooden fence for seating. there's a spiral staircase resulting in the second floor of the church. there's a square tower on the church with a "shonkhonil" (special sort of minar utilized in India to point out respect) minar on the highest of it. The aisle of the church is 14 feet wide. There are some beautiful paintings within the church, by the artist Charles Port. there's an area behind the pulpit used for baptism, with a 3 foot deep marble baptistry .