The next stop of our Mini Turkey tour Sivas– Erzurum – Gümüşhane was Trabzon. When you come to Trabzon, Trabzon’s shining star, legend of legends, Sumela Monastery would not be gone.. There is a restoration work that has been going on for about 4 years in Sümela Monastery, but the monastery was open, albeit partially, at the time we went.. After visiting the Sumela Monastery in detail, we had the opportunity to see the Vazelon Monastery on the same day.. We allocated 1 full day to these two monasteries and had a wonderful day full of adventure.. Let’s visit Sumela Monastery together.
SUMELA MONASTERY : STAR OF TRABZON
Trabzon The Sumela Monastery, which we will put at the top of the list of places to visit in the Maçka district of Turkey, is a complete work of art.. When you look at the monastery from below, it creates a different effect, but when you enter it, you get a different spell.. A place that blows your mind. When you see this place, many questions come to mind, such as how they built the Sumela Monastery, who built it, and when..
I tried to write down everything I saw, heard, read and felt about the Sumela Monastery in this article.. Where is Sumela Monastery? I will try to answer many questions such as Visiting Hours of the Sumela Monastery.
Before I start my article, I want to say at the beginning what I will say at the end. Whatever you do, I say see Sumela Monastery at least once in your lifetime.
WHERE IS SUMELA MONASTERY?
Sümela The monastery is located within the borders of the Altındere Valley located in the Maçka district of Trabzon.. Sümela Monastery is a work built on steep and steep cliffs in Montenegro, from which it takes its name.. Sumela Monastery is also called Virgin Mary Monastery among the people.. You can click this link for the exact location of Sumela Monastery on Google map.
HOW TO GET TO SUMELA MONASTERY?
<
If you ask how to get to Sumela Monastery, there are 2 ways. If you have a vehicle, you can easily reach the monastery with clean roads.. Let me state this here; you could go up to the beginning of the walking path that used to go to the Monastery by car.. However, after you go to a certain place with your vehicle due to the last road works, you park your vehicle and go up to the walking path for 6 TL with minibuses.. After coming to the walking path, you reach the aqueducts at the entrance of Sümela after walking for about 350 meters.. You enter the monastery by climbing the steep stairs here.
If you do not have a vehicle, you must first come to Maçka from Trabzon.. To reach Sümela Monastery from Maçka, you have to take the passenger minibuses in the district.
The distance between Maçka and Sümela Monastery is 19 km, between
Sumela Monastery – Uzungol 137 km,
Between Trabzon Center and Macka 30 km,
Between Trabzon Airport and Macka 30 km.
HISTORY OF SUMELA MONASTERY
There is a deep history behind the magnificent appearance of Sumela Monastery. This date is 4. going back to the century . The monastery you see now was not built and finished in one go.. The first Bedrock Church was built in the monastery, and later on, structures were added to the church over the centuries, and the monastery took its current form.. The purpose of Sumela Monastery was to provide education on religious issues.. I compare monasteries and madrasas.. In many madrasahs we visited, there were student rooms as in monasteries.. In other words, the main use of these structures is education.
LEGEND OF SUMELA MONASTERY
Let’s come to The legend of Sümela Monastery. According to the legend of the Sumela Monastery; Two monks living in Athens and Istanbul in their dreams, depicted by St. Luca, who has an important place in Christianity,. They see the icon of Jesus and the Virgin Mary fly into a mountain in Trabzon.. Afterwards, Hz.. They see Mary calling the monks “Build me a house here”. These monks, who met in Trabzon Harbor, Hz.. They come to Trabzon Macka Altındere Valley, which Meryem described to them in their dreams, and start looking for the icon of St. Luca.. Two monks find a cave in Karadağ, and the monks entering the cave see the icon painted by St.. It is rumored that these monks lived here until their death and died at the same time, and after their death this place was converted into a monastery.. Because of this story, the Sumela Monastery has a very important place in terms of Christianity.. Christians consider the Sumela Monastery an important and sacred pilgrimage center.
HISTORY OF SUMELA MONASTERY
Sumela Monastery has gone through many stages to become what it is today.. According to the researches, the first construction phase of the Sumela Monastery 13. yy is based. New structures were added to the main rock church, which was the first structure built during the Byzantine Empire period.. Especially during the Byzantine Emperor Justinian period, a lot of contribution was made to the church.. With the conquest of Trabzon by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1461, the control of the monastery passed to the Ottoman Empire.. Due to the Ottoman Empire’s policy of respect for religions, great importance was attached to Sümela during the Ottoman period.. The monastery had already experienced its greatest architectural development during the Ottoman period.. Yavuz Sultan Selim, who was a prince in Trabzon, opened a library in Sumela Monastery and presented a 3-armed gold candlestick to the monastery.. After 1919, the monastery was evacuated in 1923 due to the involvement of the clergy in the monastery in politics.. The items found here were distributed to the churches by the rulers of Sümela.. In 1931, with the special permission of Atatürk, these items were delivered to the delegation from Greece..
WHERE SUMELA MONASTERY GET ITS NAME?
Where does the name Sumela Monastery come from? Receiving from Montenegro. Montenegro means Orasmelas in Latin. Over time, this name was pronounced as Sou melas and today it has taken the name Sümela . In other words, Sümela is actually the Latin version of Montenegro’s name.
INTERIOR AND SECTIONS OF THE SUMELA MONASTERY
Every point of Sümela was fascinating for us. Great history lay everywhere we went. Even though we could not visit all parts due to the restoration, Sümela Monastery became one of the unforgettable for us.. Let’s come to the parts of the Sumela Monastery.
As I mentioned above, the Sumela Monastery took its present form over time.. In the beginning, there was only the main rock church here as a building, but many buildings were added to the monastery later on.. The parts of the Sumela Monastery are as follows:
- The Mother Rock Church,
- Holy Holy Spring,
- Chapel,
- Kitchen,
- The Bell Tower
- Student rooms,
- Restaurant Hall,
- Library,
- Aqueducts
FRICKS OF SUMELA MONASTERY
Sumela Monastery is beautiful from afar and beautiful from the inside. The Bedrock Church inside the monastery is truly fascinating. There are many frescoes here and many subjects are depicted in these frescoes.. In general, Hz.. The life and miracles of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the apostles are told. The most important of the frescoes is Jesus Christ and the Prophet. Mary is depicted together. On the ceiling of the main rock church there is the scene of Mary who fits the god who can’t fit anywhere in the world in her belly”. In this fresco on the ceiling, the child Jesus Hz.. It is located at the level of Mary’s abdomen, with both hands showing the sign of consecration, which means blessing. Hz in this fresco. Jesus and the Prophet. Mary has a halo on her head. This halo shows holiness and belief
In another fresco, Hz.. Mary leaned the child Jesus against her. This fresco is called Mary of Hodegetria, which means guiding light.. In this fresco, the god in the form of a bearded old man, the holy spirit in the form of a dove, the Prophet sitting on the throne. Mary and the Prophet. Jesus depicted with angels carrying the throne.
In general, the frescoes inside the bedrock church depict the following subjects.
- The figures of Mary in the church are depicted as the Georgian madonna used by the Georgians.
- In the apse of the bedrock church , on the south wall the nativity of Mary and her presentation in the temple, the preaching, the birth of Jesus, his presentation and life in the temple, the pictures from the Bible at the bottom,
- The death of Mary and the apostles at the south door,
- In the east-facing upper part of the church 2. In the following order, Genesis, creation of Adam, creation of Eve, God’s admonition, Rebellion (Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit), expulsion from Paradise. 3. in order: Resurrection, Thomas’s doubt, An angel in the grave, the council of Nikaia (Nicaea),
- Outside the apse, Michael, Gabriel is depicted above.
RARE IN SUMELA MONASTERY
Did you know; Today, rituals can still be performed in Sümela Monastery.. Since 2010, Christian Orthodox can perform a ritual in Sumela once a year..
THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PLACE OF SÜMELA MONASTERY (TO ME)
The Sumela Monastery is impressive on its own, but the most impressive and very mysterious to us has had its place. This place became the Holy Spring inside the Monastery, which passed the Main Rock Church with a nose difference.. Water has been dripping into the Ayazma from the rocks above for about 800 years.. This water is considered holy by Christians.. Newborn children were baptized by priests in this dripping water.. Many people throw money here because of the sanctity of Ayazma..
Is SUMELA MONASTERY OPEN OR CLOSED ? WHEN WILL IT OPEN ?
Is Sumela Monastery open? When will the Sümela Monastery be opened? questions The natural result of the restoration works of Sümela for years. When Sümela opens and closes, people say that Sümela, even if it ends, we can travel comfortably.. I wrote down the entire restoration process about whether the Sumela Monastery is open or closed.
Sumela Monastery is in such a place that its fascinating appearance is mind-blowing.. When you look at the mountain where Sümela is located from below, it seems as if they took the monastery and glued it to the mountain.. When you enter the Sumela Monastery, you understand why the place where the monastery is located is risky.. The most important of these risks is the stones falling from the rocks above the place where Sümela is located.. Because of these falling stones, Sümela was closed to visitors in September 2015. Restoration work started in February 2016.. The main goal of the restoration works was to strengthen the rocks here in geological and geotechnical terms.
The restoration works took about 3.5 years and the first phase of Sümela was opened on 25 May 2019.. Luckily, the monastery was open when we went (10 October 2020).. But we still couldn’t visit all parts of the monastery.. It’s better that it’s closed, we traveled with consolation.
As of the date of writing this article (November 2020), Sumela Monastery is currently closed. Restoration work is not completely finished. Sumela Monastery will be closed until 31.12.2020 . The main reason for this is the stones falling from the rocks above.. They’re reinforcing and covering the rocks here with steel ropes right now.. I guess the monastery will be open after the beginning of the year.
NOTE: Definitely open before going to Sumela Monastery Find out if it is and act accordingly.. Here I leave the official phone number. It’s a good idea to confirm before you go.. Let me state it again, Sümela Monastery is closed until 31.12.2020.
Sumela Monastery Phone: 0462 531 1064
SUMELA MONASTERY ENTRY HOW MUCH IS THE FEE 2020 ?
The entrance fee of Sumela Monastery for 2020 is 50 TL. Holders of the museum card do not pay any entrance fee.. Apart from this, you cannot go up with your vehicle as there is work on the road to Sümela.. After you come to a certain place and park your vehicle, you have to go up with the minibus.. You also need to pay 6 TL for the minibus fee..
VISIT HOURS TO SUMELA MONASTERY
Sümela Monastery’s visiting hours . Let me point out that Sümela archaeological site is open every day.. No off days. Of course, this is valid when the monastery is open !
Sumela Monastery’s Visiting Hours in Summer Period – 15 March – 15 October
Opening Time: 09:00 – Closing Time: 18: 30
Sumela Monastery’s Visiting Hours in Winter – October 15 – March 15
Opening Time: 08:00 – Closing Time: 17:00
<
Sumela Monastery Cover Office Summer / Winter Closing Hours
Summer Period: 18:00 – Winter Period: 16:30
VISIT AYA VARVARA CHURCH WHEN YOU COME TO SUMELA MONASTERY
When you come to Sumela Monastery, visit Aya Varvara Church, which is very close to Sumela. . Aya Varvara Church, which is very close to the beginning of the Sumela Monastery’s walking path, is a small church in its own right. There were sound systems here when we went. I guess it’s still a place of worship. Aya Varvara Church has a beautiful view of Sumela.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SUMELA MONASTERY
Who built the Sumela Monastery?
According to legend; Eastern Roman Emperor I. It was started to be built by two priests named Barnabas, Sophranios who came from Athens during the time of Theodosius (375-395).
When was the Sumela Monastery found ?
AD 386 The Sumela Monastery, which was started to be built in , has always shown improvement in terms of structure.. The monastery experienced its heyday especially during the Ottoman period.. It was completely emptied after 1923.
How many rooms does Sümela Monastery have?
72 in total in Sümela Monastery room has. Monks were trained in these rooms.
To which province does Sümela Monastery belong?
Sumela Monastery, Trabzon the borders of Maçka district of our province
Is Sümela open to visitors? & When will Sümela Monastery open?
Restoration is currently underway (February 2021) at Sümela Monastery. Especially the stones falling from the rocks on the monastery pose a danger.. That’s why they’re pulling wires to the mountains. Presumably, the monastery will be opened to visitors this summer.
Is it possible to enter Sümela Monastery?
It is enterable inside Sümela Monastery. So you can visit the rooms and churches in the monastery.
Is the restoration of Sümela Monastery finished?
As of February 2021, the restoration is still in progress.
How many hours is it from Sumela Monastery to Trabzon?
The road between Sumela Monastery and Trabzon takes 1 hour.
How many km is it from Sümela Monastery to Uzungöl?
The road between Sümela Monastery and Uzungöl is approximately 138 km.
Sümela We have come to the end of my article about the monastery.. If you want to see the days we spent in Trabzon live, you can check my Trabzon stories that I pinned to Instagram.. We are going to our stop Vazelon Monastery after Sümela, come on. 🙂 If you have any questions or comments about Sümela, you can write it in the comment section below.. Happy travels.
