Sumela Monastery. Trabzon, Turkey.
Frescoes dating to the late 13th century or early 14th century, either to the reign of Ioannes II Megas Komnenos or emperor Alexios II Megas Komnenos. Although faded, the frescoes show great similarity in style and refinement to those of the Hagia Sophia of Trebizond, also probably dating to the 1280s.
The Sumela monastery is, with its art, history and especially spectacular location, among the most popular destinations in the Turkish Black Sea Region. It is located at an altitude of 1200 meter above sea level in a natural cavern high up the mountain.
Having been found somewhere during medieval Roman (Byzantine) times, legend says that it was founded by two Athenian monks in the 4th century after a vision from the Virgin Mary led them to a rock cave there where they found an icon drawn by St. Luke, the apostle. Although known to have already have been restored during the Justinian period in the 6th century, its present form arose during the time of the Empire of Trebizond in the 14th century, when the monastery gained much imperial investments, and the additions during the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. A rock chapel has been built around the opening of a small cave, covering the interior and exterior with Byzantine style frescoes which mostly date to the 18th century, with some remains of the 13th-14th century. The monastery was in medieval Trapezuntine and Ottoman times an important landlord in the nearby Matzouka region, managing much of its lands and its Orthodox Christian ("Romans" or "Pontic Greeks") population.
The eastern Turkish Black Sea region was once the core region of the so-called "Empire of Trebizond", a rump state of the (eastern) Roman empire (1204-1461). It was home to a large population of Pontic Greek orthodox people who called themselves "Romans". Heritage in the form of castles, churches and monasteries remain in Trabzon (Trebizond) city and its surrounding countryside.
Sumela Monastery. Trabzon, Turkey.
Frescoes dating to the late 13th century or early 14th century, either to the reign of Ioannes II Megas Komnenos or emperor Alexios II Megas Komnenos. Although faded, the frescoes show great similarity in style and refinement to those of the Hagia Sophia of Trebizond, also probably dating to the 1280s.
The Sumela monastery is, with its art, history and especially spectacular location, among the most popular destinations in the Turkish Black Sea Region. It is located at an altitude of 1200 meter above sea level in a natural cavern high up the mountain.
Having been found somewhere during medieval Roman (Byzantine) times, legend says that it was founded by two Athenian monks in the 4th century after a vision from the Virgin Mary led them to a rock cave there where they found an icon drawn by St. Luke, the apostle. Although known to have already have been restored during the Justinian period in the 6th century, its present form arose during the time of the Empire of Trebizond in the 14th century, when the monastery gained much imperial investments, and the additions during the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. A rock chapel has been built around the opening of a small cave, covering the interior and exterior with Byzantine style frescoes which mostly date to the 18th century, with some remains of the 13th-14th century. The monastery was in medieval Trapezuntine and Ottoman times an important landlord in the nearby Matzouka region, managing much of its lands and its Orthodox Christian ("Romans" or "Pontic Greeks") population.
The eastern Turkish Black Sea region was once the core region of the so-called "Empire of Trebizond", a rump state of the (eastern) Roman empire (1204-1461). It was home to a large population of Pontic Greek orthodox people who called themselves "Romans". Heritage in the form of castles, churches and monasteries remain in Trabzon (Trebizond) city and its surrounding countryside.