Description of the attraction
The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection is one of the oldest buildings and a historically significant architectural monument of Dhaka. It was built by the Armenian community in 1781 and is located in the Armanitola area of the old city.
Wealthy merchants from Armenia came to the Indian subcontinent in the 12th century, had significant influence in society and contributed greatly to the economy of Bengal. Due to their success in trade, the Mughal Emperor Akbar allowed the Armenian community to freely follow their religion. The entire diaspora allocated money for the construction of the church, but the main donors were five of the most successful merchants, one of whom provided a plot for construction. The temple became a gathering place for the Armenians of Dhaka; festive services were held in it on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ and Easter.
The Armenian diaspora in Dhaka in the 19th century numbered only about forty families. Due to the change in the global economic situation in trade, the factories for processing jute and nile wood, which belonged to the Zamindar Armenians, were closed. Today there are no Armenians in the city.
The modern adjoining territory of the church is about a hectare; in the courtyard there is a necropolis with carved black and white marble slabs. The temple, built on the site of the old chapel at the cemetery, is a building with a balcony and a hall for 100 people, the seating is original. Old oil painting on the interior walls has been partially preserved. Initially, the church had a bell tower with a clock, the dial of which was visible from the neighboring city, but it turned into ruins during the 1897 earthquake. Now the belfry with four bells has been restored, but without the chronometer. The diocese does not have its own priest; services are held twice a year by the archbishop from Australia. On ordinary days, the temple receives visitors with special permission from the city administration.
