Buddhism in Armenia

Buddhism is a minor religion in Armenia, with a small but unknown number of adherents. The first direct contacts of Armenians with Buddhism occurred in the 13th century during the height of the Mongol Empire, culminating in the foundation of a Buddhist monastery in Armenia by the Buddhist emperor Hulegu Khan of the Ilkhanate after his conquest of Armenia when Buddhism was declared as an official religion. Contacts recurred elsewhere in subsequent centuries through Armenian merchants. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Armenian intellectuals developed a strong interest in the religion.


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