Sumela Monastery – Trabzon

Sümela Monastery, which was built on a steep cliff on the outskirts of Karadağ which overlooks the Altındere valley, within the borders of Altındere Village of Maçka District of Trabzon, is known as the "Virgin Mary" among the people. The building, which is located at an altitude of about 300 meters from the valley, continued the tradition of establishing monasteries outside the city, in forests, caves and watersides.

It is said that the monastery, which was founded in the name of the Virgin Mary, got its name "Sumela" from the word "molasses" meaning "black". Although it is thought that this name comes from the dark-colored Montenegro where the monastery was founded, the word Sümela can be attributed to the black color of the Virgin Mary here.

History of Sumela Monastery

According to rumors, the monastery, which was founded by two priests named Barnabas and Sophranios from Athens during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (375-395), was repaired by Belisarios, one of his generals, upon the request of Emperor Justinianus to repair and expand the monastery in the 6th century.