How Was Sumela Monastery Built In Trabzon Turkey?

Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, Turkey, is considered one of the oldest and most historic monasteries in the Christian world.

Today, this historical monastery is considered one of the best tourist attractions in Trabzon, Turkey, and one of the things to do in Trabzon Turkey, is to visit this monastery.

What is more strange than who built this monastery is how Sumela monastery was built, how did they build a monastery at the top of the mountain with such little facilities? The answer to these questions is right here, in this article!

How was Sumela monastery built?

The construction of Sumela Monastery began in 385 AD and continued until the 19th century. According to a historian, this monastery was founded by two priests named “Barnabas” and “Sophronius” from Athens during the reign of Emperor Theodosius I. They built the first two rooms of the monastery on the rocks.

General Belisarius rebuilt this structure in the 6th century AD at the request of Emperor Justinian I. Later in 650 AD, this monastery was looted and burned by the Byzantines.

At the beginning of the 13th century and at the same time as the reign of Alexios III, the monastery became in its present form, and its budget was provided annually by the empire. When the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad II (nicknamed Mehmed fatih) succeeded in conquering Trabzon in 1461 AD, he ordered the protection of the monastery, and the sultans after him remained loyal to this order and set aside special rights and privileges for it.

During the 18th century, Sumela Monastery expanded and became richer under the supervision of local rulers and officials; In addition, many parts were renovated, and some walls were decorated with paintings. However, during the 19th century, the monastery experienced its golden years with the addition of large buildings and magnificent decorations, thanks to gifts from Greek Orthodox communities. It gradually became a tourist area for pilgrims and tourists to visit this area.

Legends about how was the Sumela monastery built?

According to a legend, two monks from Athens found the Holy Mary in a cave on a mountain and decided to build a church there; Therefore, the church was formed by digging the cave deeper, leveling the surfaces, and building a wall for the entrance.

It is said that Luke, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ (PBUH), made this, which was sent to Athens after his death.

During the time of Theodosius I, this intended to leave Athens, and the angels took it from Athens to Trabzon and placed it in this cave. It is believed that this symbol is very old and has miraculous properties.

In Christianity, historical monuments play an important role, and if they are relics related to disciples or saints, they increase the value and prestige of the church.

Review of the architecture of Sule Monastery

Sumela Monastery is built on the rocks of Altındere Valley, and since it dates back to the 4th century AD, it is one of the oldest monasteries in the Christian world. However, it is not located in a Christian country. Turkey became a Muslim country in the 11th century, but, it has well-preserved many historical structures of Christianity, including the Sumela Monastery.

After Sultan Muhammad II’s attack on Trabzon in 1461, Sumela Monastery was influenced by Ottoman art and design. This influence can be seen in details such as closets, wall niches, and fireplaces in the rooms around the courtyard. Another influence of Ottoman architecture can be seen in some dark red wall paintings resembling the brick patterns used in 18th-century buildings.

The main parts of Sumela Monastery are the rock church, two-story kitchen, monks’ rooms, 10 different-sized prayer rooms, bell tower, office spaces, guest house, library, and holy spring.

Sumela Monastery is located on a cliff, and the stairway leading to it has only one entrance. After paying for the ticket, you can enter the monastery. The ruins of a large aqueduct can be seen next to the rock at the entrance, which once supplied water to the monastery.

This aqueduct used to have 10 arches and is currently being renovated. Next to the entrance, there is a guard room. Next, you must go down some stairs to reach the monastery’s courtyard.

On the left is a rock cave and church, and on the right is a library, the rare manuscripts of which are kept in the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. In addition, there are several prayer rooms around the courtyard.

By looking at the old photos of Sumela Monastery, we can see that some of the walls facing the courtyard had wooden balconies and porches, which were probably destroyed after the fire of 1930.

The annual ceremony of Sumela Monastery

Currently, Sumela Monastery has been turned into a museum; But with the permission of the Turkish government, a communion is held there once a year. Today, pilgrims from Istanbul, Greece, Russia, Georgia, America, etc., come to the monastery.

Before this decision, the last ceremony of this monastery was held in 1923, and from 2010 onwards, this ceremony is held every year on August 15.

How to get to Sumela monastery?

To access this monastery, you must first go to the city of Trabzon, then after traveling about 45 kilometers, you will reach Sumela Monastery. Undoubtedly, you will be amazed at first glance, and the grandeur of this monastery will be very interesting and pleasing to you. When you reach the bottom of this building, you have to use the narrow, long stairs to reach the entrance.

Trabzon to Sumela monastery?

As I mentioned above, to visit this historical monument, you must first go to Trabzon, Turkey. In this city, there are various buses and taxis that you can use to go to Sumela monastery; for this, you need to go to the center of Trabzon.

Address: Altındere, Altindere Valley National Park, 61750 Maçka/Trabzon, Türkiye

Hours and cost of visiting Sumla Monastery

Every day from 9 am to 7 pm, you can visit this monastery and pay about 10 dollars to enter it and visit its different parts.

At the end of the line

You can experience the wonder of architecture in Sumela Monastery. Sumela Monastery in Turkey can also be mentioned as one of the best historical monuments in Turkey. Sumela Monastery is one of the oldest churches in the history of Christianity in the Maçka area of ​​Trabzon. Sumela Monastery is located on Mela Hill and in Altindere Valley. The high age, nature, and lovely scenery of this monastery attract the attention of every tourist.

If you are interested in Sümela monastery photos and would like access to more photos of this place, comment your email in the comment section, and I will send you more photos as soon as possible.

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