Sumela Monastery (Monastery of the Virgin Mary) is the main attraction for visitors along the Black Sea Coast, with its stunning, lonely setting built into a cliff face.
Wandering around this abandoned religious complex, with its church interiors crammed with dazzling and vibrant frescoes, is a must for anyone travelling to Turkey’s northeast region.
The monastery was founded during the Byzantine era and only shut down as a functioning religious centre in 1923, when the monks were forced to leave as part of the Greek-Turkish Population Exchange.
It’s easy to imagine the isolated lives of the monks who once lived here as you wander through its empty cells today.
The Sumela Monastery is a museum that is open to the public. The Turkish government is funding the restoration work. [12] As of 2012, the Turkish government is funding reconstruction work, and pilgrims from Greece, Georgia, and Russia are returning to the monastery. The monastery’s primary purpose is to serve as a tourist attraction. It is popular for its aesthetics as well as its cultural and religious significance because it overlooks forests and streams.
Sumela Monastery is an excellent recommendation by the folks at https://www.tripadvisor.com/.