Of the four quarters of Jerusalem's Old City, the Armenian Quarter is the smallest and the most mysterious. Much of it sits behind the walls of a single monastery compound, and many visitors walk past without realising there is a whole world inside.
Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, in the early fourth century, and Armenian pilgrims and monks were in Jerusalem soon after. The Armenian Patriarchate has been here since at least the seventh century, and the community is one of the guardians of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre alongside the Greek Orthodox and the Catholics.
The heart of the quarter is the Cathedral of St. James, built largely in the twelfth century. Its interior is dim and rich: hanging oil lamps, blue and white tiles, carpets and gilded wood. It opens to visitors mainly for the afternoon service, when the chanting is unforgettable.
The community grew sharply after 1915, when survivors of the Armenian Genocide found refuge in the monastery compound. Posters and memorials along the quarter's walls mark that history every April. Today a few thousand Armenians live in Jerusalem, a small but proud community with its own schools, clubs and a seminary.
Look out for Armenian ceramics all over the city: the hand-painted tiles of street signs, plates and bowls with birds, pomegranates and vines. The craft came to Jerusalem in 1919 with families from Kutahya in Turkey, and several family workshops still paint by hand.
A walk through the Armenian Quarter is a natural part of our Holy Jerusalem and Walking Tour of the Old City itineraries. Tell us you are curious and your guide will make time for it.