Sumela Monastery, Maçka, Trabzon

March 06, 2018

One of the most beautiful places of the Black Sea is the Sümela Monastery, which is an important place to go in Trabzon. It is built on the steep cliffs in the Altındere Village, which is on the border of Maçka district of Trabzon. It is known among the people as "Mother Mary".

Meryem Ana, located 300 meters above Altındere, is built according to tradition of monastic construction sites such as steep cliffs, forests, caves. The monastery, founded by Maryan Anaya, was taken from the word melas, which is called black. When you look at the mountains in the bay where the monastery is located, you can understand why you are taking the name of Sumera. Fallmerayer, one of the famous historians, attributed the monument to the construction of dark monuments during the monastic visit.

Foundation of Foundation
It corresponds to a year in which the twelfth century art world has developed and integrated legend. It is known that the icons of Mother Mary under the name of the black Madonna, which shaped those legends over those years, have emerged and have spread throughout the Christian mosque. Some beliefs such as the spreading of the icons of Mother Mary, the beginning of the miracles of the people, and the emergence of disasters in the regions where the lack of fathers are running, start to spread. One of the icons of Mother Mary's main icons was placed on the stones of the Trabzon mountains by the angels by the Lukas of the apostles of Jesus, who were in Athens but wanted to leave Athens by the time of Theodosius.

According to everyone, the Virgin Mary's icons came to Trabzon, the two monks of Barnabas and Sophronios gave the Virgin Mary a dual reachable disintegration to build their churches in Anakaya. This church was enlarged by the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century and became a monastery.

Even if the founding legend of the monastery is described in this way, we are aware of the existence of the myth that is expressed in a different form. Virgin Mary saves the life of 3.Alesios and leaves it at the site of today's Sumela Monastery. Later 3.Alesios issued an edict, giving orders to rich foundations here. Today this decree or order is the place of the monastery. He also writes that the founder of the Monastery of 3.Alexios was also found.

Scientifically the Sümela Monastery
According to historical researches, the construction of Sumela Monastery takes up to the 13th century. As a Trabzon Commune, in 1204 Kommenos Persian founded in Trabzon, during the 3rd Alexis period (1349-1390) the importance of the monastery increased and it started to gain income with the fermans. The Ottoman Empire's domination of the eastern black sea boundaries allowed the monastery to continue its recognition under the fermans. Even the convent of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han and Yavuz Sultan Selim Han was introduced.


Sümela Monastery Departments
The main parts are; student rooms, master rock churches, a few chapels, guest houses, libraries and sacred writings. The area covered by these sections is quite extensive. The belt that meets the need for water right before the monastery is noteworthy. The arch, which has many eyes, has been restored by the Municipality of Trabzon and has been given time.

The stairway to reach the monastery by climbing over the center of a long monastery. There are guard rooms, which attract attention, beside the entrance, the inside of the monastery is entered with the stairs located there. When you enter, you are important for the monastery on the left side and we close the rooms. Immediately on the right is a library.

The rock church before the main unit of the monastery and its integrated chapel are equipped with frescoes both inside and outside. These frescoes are believed to date to the 3rd Alexios period. The frescoes in the chapels are thought to belong to the 18th century. The monastery is understood in the disappearance of many frescoes. The frescoes beneath the walls as they gain walls suggest that many inland monasteries are constantly fitted with frescoes. The fresco pictured on the wall of a small chapel depicts the dragon and two saints, Georgios and Demetrios.


Traditional delicacies

Trabzon After visiting the monastery to taste the traditional dishes of the town of Maçka, you can visit Sumer Restaurant. You can also see the traditional tastes of the seafood restaurant in the menu. From the cold appetizer varieties, to the special guests, the buttered trout in a copper pan may be the ideal choice for those who care about the taste of the palate.



The Sümela social facilities, just below the Sümela monastery, welcomes you with a magnificent view of nature. It is possible to find the famous traditional palate tastes as well as the famous Black Sea pides. There is also a drink service at this restaurant.

Sümela Monastery Entrance Fee and Visit Times
Entrance to the Sumela Monastery is a fee.

You have a chance to visit the museum card twice a year. If you have a museum card plus, you can visit as many times as you like.

The fee for non-museum cards is 15 liras.

The Sumela Monastery, opened at 9 am in the summer, closes at 6 pm. In the winter you can visit between 8 am and 4 pm.

Sumela Monastery Accommodation
In Maçka, one of the most beautiful districts of Trabzon, you will be witnessing the mysterious architect of this historical monument while at the same time witnessing the hospitality of the Maçka district. Modern hotels welcome you to spend a nice holiday among the cheerful people of the Black Sea. If you mention the closest hotel to the Sumela Monastery, you can also choose to stay at Sumela Hotel, which welcomes its guests with great splendor. The modern and luxurious hotel, built in the center of Ilçen, has 4 stars. Thanks to a gul-faced service team, comfortable rooms and quality service standards, the accommodation does not turn out to be pleasurable.

There are hostels in the county for those who are looking for a more economical accommodation beside four star hotels. Although the quality and comforts of the hotel are low, it is possible to feel the warm and friendly communication of the people of Black Sea. Those who have set their budget according to a more economical accommodation service can evaluate the pensions in the district. There are also social facilities as the closest accommodation to the monastery of Sumela. Immediately under the Sümela monastery, there are social facilities, 2 duplex villas and 5 bungalow houses. This facility, which is nested with nature, is among the alternatives that can be evaluated for accommodation.

Sumela Monastery, How to Go?
Address: Sümela Monastery - Maçka / Trabzon

If you come to Trabzon with your own vehicle to see the Black Sea coasts, you can reach the town of Maçka from the center of Trabzon to the south. When you come to the town of Maçka you will find the village of Altındere 16 km to the east. You can come here very comfortably with your car. The fact that the roads are asphalted makes it possible to reach the roads quickly. But remember that you have to take the trouble of a steep and winding road to climb the monastery. If you do not have a private car, you can use passenger minibuses from the town of Maçka reaching the monastery. Those who have a special vehicle can make a more effortless transportation to the Sümela Monastery by evaluating this alternative.

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