Sumela Monastery - Turkey by brewgirlca
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Description
This is the Sumela Monastery in a remote rugged mountainous region of northeastern Turkey. The area is cold and wet due to its proximity to the Black Sea; it is a unique area of Turkey. I was totally unprepared for the site of dense dark shady forests composed of towering spruce trees with immense branches, each branch extending over 10s of square meters. The area had a beautiful primeval feel.
Sumela Monastery is of Greek Orthodox origin founded in 386 A.D. by two priests during the reign of the Emperor Theodosius I. It subsequently fell into ruin and was restored several times during the middle ages but reached its present form in the 13th century during the reign of Alexios III. Alexios granted the monastery an annual stipend which helped maintain its structure and function.
Many westerners think when the Ottomans conquered Turkey that they totally destroyed the pre-existing Christian cultures. This is not in fact the case. In this remote part of the world Ottoman traders had lived rather peacefully with the local Greek population before the military conquest. When the capital of the region, Trabzon, finally fell to the Ottomans in 1461, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II granted his protection to the monastery. It served as a sanctuary for monks and travelers for several more centuries.
The Monastery is utterly remote, reached by a few hour's drive on a narrow, twisty mountain road. You pray you don't meet someone coming the other way! Pullouts are rare, and Turkish drivers are rather unforgiving of giving up road space and fearless of pushing their tires to the edge of the abyss! Guardrails do not exist in Turkey.
Still our journey had to be far easier than when mules, horses and walking were the only means of travel. While the monastery itself would offer safe haven for ancient travelers, they would face days or weeks of long expedition through a landscape occupied pretty much only by hostile tribesmen, intent on robbery or worse. By contrast, our only risk was being driven off a cliff face! As you shall see next, we got a small taste of what these hardy travelers went through, For even today, reaching the base of the site is far from the end of the journey; it is merely the end of the road!
Comments (31)
eekdog
just love the details in your story Roxy, makes one feel like being there. and dang nab what a fabulous view, quite breathtaking my friend, i so would have loved to see this in person. awesome shot! 7+
magnus073
Wow Roxy, this is one epic capture of this monastery. I very much enjoyed your detailed description of the rich history surrounding it.
RodS
It certainly makes one wonder just how in the hell they managed to construct this magnificent building. It would be an epic challenge, even now with the technology we have... A fantastic shot, Roxy - and as always, so much more meaningful with your narrative, and knowledge of history.
photosynthesis
What an incredible location. And I love the somewhat misty diagonal bands of forest delineated by the sharp edge of the mountain. A fantastic composition...
SidheRoseGraphics
Ehhhh, what a view and what a place! A very interesting tale and looking forward to more. Excellent capture, and one has to think you were on the road when you took this...which is just scarey!
Faemike55
Very beautiful building and wonderful descriptive narrative you've given us. Thank you
vaggabondd
wow what a view, great shot
whaleman
Now that is something! One has to conclude real estate is dear to cause one to build on a vertical cliff, or maybe it just isn't safe anywhere else!
leoshades
That is a great shot of a great view...
blinkings
Wow what an amazing place.
mtdana
Great narrative for a very stunning image!
3dpoetry
WOW, the views must be amazing
alanwilliams
so special, what an awe inspiring setting, quite breathtaking
chaylastorm
What a fantastic place.. I had heard about it.. but to actually visit it... wowᴉᴉᴉ Fantastic photo.
adorety
A beautiful shot and just a mind blowing location. I sometimes have wondered about fantasy pics with structures on cliffs and thought cool, but probably impossible. Seems the truth is crazier than fantasy. Hope you got a shot of the road.
vyktohria
WOW! Such beauty! And personally, I think I would rather walk or take horses...not brave enough to do car with those crazy Turkish drivers! LOL!
Tracesl
fantastic history and pic, wonderful location - beautiful
jeroni
very beautiful
Chipka
Such an intriguing place! Turkey (I love how the Turks pronounce it) is such a complicated amalgam of...well...some of everything and Turkey has such an interesting influence on the rest of Europe, in terms of its history. It's so odd being in Slavic Europe, seeing and hearing and feeling the influences of Turkey (both light and dark) and realizing: Heck...that was one dynamo of a country if its influence made it this far in both geography and time! I mean, how the heck would (insert Czech name) have any clue as to 'what it was like' in those ancient times?. I love the lines in this and the way that structure looks so precariously perched...as if it's growing out of a cliff face rather than sheltering on it. This is superb.
4udreamcatcher
Fantastic shot! Thank you for sharing such beauty :O-)
Rhanagaz
Greta capture of this monastery!! Long way down to the grocery! ;o)
drifterlee
Gorgeous shot!
Nonsolum
For sure a dedicated place for a spiritual retreat ! Do they have WiFi to post on Rendo ? ;-)
0rest4wicked
Sounds like a road taken into "The Maze" in canyonlands NP. Minus the greenery of course...lol A splendid destination and image!
Cyve
WOnderful capture and fantastic monastere !
FaeMoon
This is such a magnificent structure, and it amazes me how something so complex could be built on the mountainside like this. I love your narrative too, I just feel like you are taking me along on your journeys whenever I read about your experiences! Thank you, Roxy. :)
JuliSonne
I always wonder how they have accomplished this building? I am already dizzy from looking. Here were master the perfection at work. Wonderfully photographed with the beautiful scenery. And you can see the proportions. And now I imagine how small the human is.Like an ant. Perfect, Roxy!
Blush
This is an awesome pic but it is so high and I have a terrible fear of heights then read what you said about the very narrow roads to get there........wow.........i surely would think they would want some kind of protection from going off the cliff when meeting another car or at least making some pull off spots what a pretty place but a harrowing thought on how to get there...............geez.....and thanks for the interesting reading Hugs Susan
junge1
Great capture and fantastic historical information. I am leaving for Athens on Monday, from there on a 7 day cruise through the Aegean Sea, and the plan is to spent one day in Istanbul. I hope the current unrest in Turkey does not affect these plans.
mrestey
Beautiful shot of this fascinating place. I seem to remember seeing this on a TV program some years ago. Must have been awesome to visit here.