About
Sumela Monastery stands built into a steep cliff face in Altındere National Park, in the Maçka district of Trabzon, Turkey. It is also known as Sümela Manastırı, Sumela Manastırı, or the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, and it is one of the best-known monuments of the Trabzon region.
The setting
The monastery sits about 1,200 meters above sea level, clinging to the rock in a way that makes the buildings feel almost part of the mountain. The surrounding national park gives the walk up to it a green, wooded character, so the approach is as much a part of the visit as the site itself.
What to see
- The cliff-face buildings, whose position is the most striking feature of the site.
- The Byzantine frescoes, which are the monastery's best-known artistic remains.
- The views over the valley and the park from the monastery grounds.
Planning a visit
Sumela is a monument and a landscape at once, so it suits visitors who enjoy both history and the outdoors. Because of its altitude and the walk through the park, it is worth allowing unhurried time and dressing for mountain conditions. For current details, you can call the site on +90 462 512 3474.
