Sumela Monastery

Sumela Monastery clings to a sheer cliff face at 1,200 metres above sea level in the Altındere National Park near Maçka, Trabzon province, in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Founded according to tradition in 386 AD by two Athenian monks who believed they had received a vision of the Virgin Mary, the monastery was built into a natural cave in the mountainside above the Altındere River valley, with successive constructions filling the cave and cascading down the cliff over fifteen centuries. The complex was abandoned in 1923 following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

The approach from the lower car park follows a forested mountain path of approximately 1.3 kilometres rising 300 metres, passing through dense fir, beech, and hazel forest that gives the Kaçkar foothills their lush character. The monastery reveals itself gradually as the path climbs: first a view of whitewashed walls embedded in dark rock, then the full three-storey structure emerging from its cave alcove as the path rounds the final bend.

The complex comprises a main church, smaller chapels, a library building, a kitchen, student rooms, and a sacred spring that continues to draw pilgrims. The most significant feature is the rock church interior, where multi-layered frescoes painted between the 9th and 19th centuries cover every surface — walls, ceiling, and columns — in rich biblical imagery. The upper layers are largely intact; the lower sections were damaged by graffiti during the site's abandoned period and are now partially restored. A balcony extending from the main church level offers extraordinary views down the forested valley.

The monastery was closed for extensive restoration work between 2015 and 2019 and has since reopened with improved access paths. Some sections may remain under conservation work; checking current access conditions before visiting is advisable. Visiting on a weekday avoids the weekend crowds that travel from Trabzon city, 46 kilometres away.