▁Saint ▁Ste pan os ▁Mon aster y ▁The ▁Saint ▁Ste pan os ▁Mon aster y ▁ensemble ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁g orge ▁of ▁the ▁Ara xe ▁River , ▁which ▁borders ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁The ▁central ▁zone ▁of ▁the ▁monaster y ▁is ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁main ▁chap el ▁is ▁located ▁on ▁a ▁ste ep ▁slope ▁within ▁an ▁en closed ▁wall ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁. ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁resid ences ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁mon ks ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁monaster y . ▁The ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁church , ▁built ▁in ▁a ▁Greek ▁cross ▁form , ▁is ▁ ▁and ▁its ▁height ▁is ▁. ▁A ▁four - p illa red ▁entrance ▁is ▁to pped ▁by ▁a ▁bell ▁tower ▁built ▁in ▁two ▁levels ; ▁the ▁first ▁level ▁is ▁rect angular ▁in ▁shape , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁second ▁level ▁there ▁are ▁pill ars ▁supporting ▁an ▁um bre lla - sh aped ▁d ome . ▁Bu ilt ▁in ▁the ▁style ▁of ▁Armen ian ▁religious ▁architecture , ▁it ▁has ▁cut - stone ▁fas cia . ▁Within ▁the ▁church ▁there ▁are ▁paint ings ▁that ▁are ▁based ▁on ▁similar ▁ones ▁at ▁the ▁E ch mi ats in ▁Church , ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁bl end ▁of ▁Christian ▁and ▁Islam ic ▁art ▁forms . ▁ ▁Down stream ▁of ▁the ▁monaster y ▁is ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ ▁where ▁the ▁village , ▁the ▁c emetery , ▁and ▁an ▁associated ▁church ▁are ▁located . ▁The ▁village ▁is ▁destroyed ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁church , ▁which ▁is ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁a ▁bas il