Gabriel Sundukyan's architectural designs in 19th-century Derbent

Gabriel Sundukyan, the renowned Armenian playwright and writer, designed the Church of the Holy Savior in Derbent during his exile in the 1850s. Construction of the church, located in the city's Armenian quarter, began around 1860 and was completed in 1871, with a bell tower added in 1888. The structure exemplifies Armenian cross-domed architecture, constructed from local limestone and featuring four stone pillars supporting a 12-sided dome.

Sundukyan was exiled to Derbent in 1853 after dismissal from his position in Tiflis for "free-thinking." During his five-year tenure there, he oversaw urban development projects and designed several buildings. The church suffered severe damage during the Russian Civil War, losing its dome and bell tower. Soviet authorities recognized it as a protected architectural monument in 1975, and comprehensive restoration occurred between 1976 and 1982.