Trabzon
Sümela Monastery is built into a sheer cliff above the Altındere valley in Maçka district, Trabzon, inside Altındere Valley National Park. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Tradition says two monks from Athens, Barnabas and Sophronios, founded it in the 4th century. The monastery was abandoned after the population exchange of 1923 and is now a museum.
The centre of the complex is a natural cave turned into a church. The walls of this rock church and of the chapel beside it are covered with frescoes of scenes from the lives of Jesus and Mary. Stone buildings once used by the monks stand around the courtyard.
The monastery reopened in June 2026 after the first stage of maintenance and safety work; wider restoration continues. Cars stop at a car park in the national park, and minibuses run on up the valley road. The last stretch of about 450 m is a steep path with steps and is not suitable for wheelchairs. Check current opening hours before you go.