Sumela Monastery
Trabzon, Turkey
December 1, 2008
Trabzon, Turkey
December 1, 2008
The Greek Orthodox Monastery at Sumela, 30km from Trabzon on the Black Sea coast, clings somewhat absurdly to the side of a forested hill. The site has a typically convoluted history beginning with the discovery of an icon of the ‟Black Virgin” in the 6th Century AD, a steady climb to prosperity through the patronage of Princes and Sultans alike before it’s fortunes waned under the the early 20th Century when it was abandoned and the icon secreted off to safety in Greece. In recent years, a restoration effort has attracted a new wave of attention and it’s an obligatory stop on the Black Sea tourist trail. The approach is via a steep wooded path that climbs up under the eaves of the outer walls and deposits the breathless visitor at a narrow entrance gate that appears to lead directly into the sheer rock face. Instead it opens into a surprisingly spacious hodge-podge of structures. A number of small chapels and living quarters can be roamed through but the main feature is the heavily illustrated ‟Rock Church” nestled in the main rock cavity. Sadly the floor to ceiling frescoes (inside and out) are mostly ruined by graffiti although those higher up have suffered less damage at the hands of idiots and thieves. Despite the damage, the overall impression is a visual treat and the eyrie-like location provides it’s own drama.
