Built between 1828 and 1831, this is the oldest standing church in Vanadzor and the seat of the Gugark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The exterior alternates the rose-red and dark grey volcanic tuff that gives so much Armenian church architecture its colour, with a stocky drum and conical dome sitting low over a single nave.
The interior is dim, plain by Armenian standards, with a small carved iconostasis and a handful of devotional khachkars set against the walls. It is an active parish church rather than a museum, and visits should be quiet — particularly during the Sunday morning liturgy, which is one of the few times the building is fully lit and the choir is at full strength.