Tabriz has had an Armenian Christian community for centuries, and a small district around the Mariam Church preserves a quieter, more European-feeling character than the rest of the old city. The streets are narrower, the houses lower, and many of the doors still bear the family names of long-established Armenian residents.
The community has shrunk considerably since 1979, but the church remains active and several adjoining buildings function as Armenian cultural centres. Pop into the Saint Mary Church if it's open and walk the surrounding lanes — it's a quick, easy detour from the central bazaar.