Known locally as the "Black Church" (Sev Zham), this Armenian Apostolic church dates from 1870. Built in dark tufa, it has an austere presence quite different from the grander Amenaprkitch nearby. Damaged in the 1988 earthquake, it has since been restored. The church is worth seeking out for its architecture and for the quiet contrast it offers to the busier central square.
Saint Nshan Church (Sev Zham)
The "Black Church," built in dark tufa, once an observatory
A story
During the Soviet period the church was converted into an astronomical observatory, inaugurated in the presence of the famous astrophysicist Viktor Hambardzumyan. Lightning repeatedly struck the dome, damaging the equipment and bending the cross — but each time the cross straightened itself. The observatory eventually closed; the cross still stands.