First built in 1700 by the three Nazaretian brothers of Isfahan, Persia. Rebuilt after a fire in 1780 and the present Cathedral was built between 1873-1893. Sarkis Kadehjian was the Master Builder and the Architect was Sarkis Balian of the well known Balian family of builders in Istanbul. St. Mary’s was the largest Armenian Cathedral in the Ottoman Empire.