. ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Saint ▁The odore ▁built ▁between ▁ 6 2 4 ▁and ▁ 6 3 1 , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁land marks ▁of ▁Bag aran . ▁In scri ptions ▁on ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁Saint ▁The odore ▁of ▁Bag aran ▁were ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁exterior ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁building , ▁starting ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁western ▁ap se ▁and ▁running ▁across ▁the ▁northern , ▁eastern ▁and ▁southern ▁faces . ▁ ▁The ▁Bag rat un is ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁city ▁during ▁the ▁e ighth ▁century . ▁In ▁ 8 9 5 , ▁after ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Armen ia , ▁Bag aran ▁became ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁an ▁independent ▁Armen ia ▁under ▁king ▁A shot ▁I . ▁His ▁successor ▁king ▁Sm bat ▁I ▁moved ▁the ▁capital ▁Bag aran ▁to ▁Sh ira k avan ▁in ▁ 8 9 0 . ▁Under ▁the ▁Bag rat id ▁rule , ▁Bag aran ▁remained ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁prosper ous ▁cent ers ▁of ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁kingdom . ▁Many ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Bag rat uni ▁r ul ers , ▁including ▁A shot ▁I , ▁were ▁buried ▁in ▁Bag aran . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁ 1 0 4 5 , ▁Bag aran ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Armen ian ▁capital ▁An i ▁was ▁inv aded ▁by ▁the ▁By z ant ines . ▁In ▁ 1 0 6 4 , ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁attacked ▁and ▁heavily ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁Sel j uk ▁Tur ks . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Shah - Arm