Sumela Monastery

Sumela Monastery is an ancient monastery located on a cliff in Macka region of Trabzon. It is a 1600-year-old Orthodox monastery whose walls are decorated with beautiful frescoes from the 18th century, depicting biblical scenes of the Virgin Mary and Christ. Its location is prominent as it is surrounded by dense forest, and one can also engage in mountain climbing and trekking to reach there.

It is dedicated to Virgin Mary.  In the center of the monastery is a cave that was converted into a church. There is a large building with a balcony where the monks and guests live. Its structure and scenery are commendable, because of which it was turned into a museum in 1923. The main sections include a kitchen, a library, a guest house, a holy spring, student rooms, and the rock church. There are multiple stairways leading into each other, out of which one leads to the inner courtyard, where there are more monastery buildings. It has rich historical and cultural significance with a well-preserved history of Christianity.