Isfahan Province     New Julfa Situated on the southern banks of the Zayandeh Rud river, New Julfa was founded by Shah Abbas for the relocation of Armenians who were forced to flee their homes in Old Julfa in Armenia because of Turkish attacks. The immigrant Armenians were given special privileges and formal guarantees concerning their religious freedom. Vank Cathedral The construction of this church commenced in 1606 at the time of arrival of Armenian immigrants to Isfahan and was completed between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Archbishop David. Though the exterior of the church is unexciting, the interior is richly decorated with oil paintings of Jesus Christ and people sacred to the Armenians. Oil paintings and gilded carvings, in the representation of God’s revelation throughout the Old and New Testaments, cover the walls from the tiled lower portions to the ceiling.   Bazaar and Qaisarieh Protal Isfahan’s bazaar is a real labyrinth of domed streets stretching into the old town. The entrance to the bazaar is through a majestic gateway in keeping with the dimensions of the square, called Qaisarieh. The gateway is decorated with mosaic tile work, its main motif representing Sagittarius, Isfahan’s astrological sign, shown here as a chimera. Isfahan’s bazaar is one of the biggest and most lively bazaars of the Middle East. Wandering through some 5 km of paths, one can find shops that sell almost every imaginable item. Small openings in vaulted roof let in sufficient light and yet keep out the intense heat of summer and retain warmth in winter.