Culture, Art and Tourism

Trabzon, whose known history dates back at least 4000 years, is one of the rare cities that has attracted the attention of the whole world in all phases of history due to its location. Due to its geographical importance and being at a complete crossing point, Trabzon; It has hosted many civilizations throughout its history. As a commercial and administrative center, the existence of education-culture-trade centers established in Trabzon for centuries has enabled the city to have a lively and ongoing cultural accumulation together with its surroundings. Therefore, Trabzon is a city rich in cultural assets. Today, these cultural assets are among the places frequented by many domestic and foreign tourists.

 

SUMELA Monastery

Sumela Monastery, which was built on a steep cliff on the outskirts of Karadağ which overlooks Altındere Valley, within the boundaries of Altındere Village of Maçka District of our city, 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 name of the monastery, which was founded in the name of the Virgin Mary, was taken from the word "molasses", which means "black". Although it is thought that this name comes from the dark-colored Montenegro where the monastery was founded, the word Sumela can be attributed to the black color of the Virgin Mary here. According to the legend; The monastery, which was founded by two monks, Barnabas and Sophranios, who came from Athens during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (375-395), was repaired by Belisarios, one of his generals, in the 6th century when Emperor Justinianus requested that the monastery be repaired and expanded. It is known that the Sumela Monastery has continued its existence in its current state since the 13th century. The importance of the monastery increased during the reign of Alexios III (1349-1390), from the Principality of Trabzon Komnenos, which was founded in 1204, and income was provided by edicts. During the reign of Manuel III, son of Alexios III, and later princes, Sumela was enriched with new edicts. Following the Turkish domination of the eastern Black Sea coast, the Ottoman Sultans protected the rights of Sumela, as in many monasteries, and gave some privileges. Many parts of the Sumela Monastery were renovated in the 18th century, and some of the walls were decorated with frescoes. With the addition of large buildings in the 19th century, the monastery gained a magnificent appearance and lived its richest and brightest period. The monastery, which took its final shape in this period, became a place visited by many foreign travelers and the subject of their writings. During the Russian occupation of Trabzon between 1916-1918, the monastery was confiscated, and after 1923 it was completely evacuated. The main sections of the Sumela Monastery are; The main rock church, several chapels, kitchen, student rooms, guesthouse, library and holy holy spring. This group of buildings was built on a very large area. The large aqueduct, which seems to bring water at the entrance of the monastery, is leaning against the slope. Most of this arch, which has many eyes, has been demolished today. The main entrance of the monastery is reached by a long narrow staircase. There are guard rooms next to the entrance door. From here, a staircase leads down to the inner courtyard. On the left, in front of the cave, which forms the basis of the monastery and was converted into a church, there are various monastery buildings. The library is on the right. Again on the right, the large balcony covering the front of the slope was used as monk's rooms and guest rooms and is dated to 1860. In the buildings around the courtyard, the effects of Turkish art can also be seen with the cabinets, cells, hearths in the rooms. The inner and outer walls of the rock church, which forms the main unit of the monastery, and the chapel adjacent to it, are decorated with frescoes. On the wall facing the courtyard inside the rock church, III. The existence of frescoes belonging to the Alexios period has been determined. The frescoes in the chapel are dated to the beginning of the 18th century and there are three layers made in three different periods. The frescoes of the lowest layer are of superior quality. The main subjects dealt with in the frescoes, which were dismantled and have a very dilapidated appearance, were taken from the Sumela Monastery, scenes taken from the Bible, Hz. They are depictions of the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
Vezalon (John) Monastery
It is located in pine forests 7 km west of Kiremitli Village of Maçka district of our province. There is also a cave and a holy spring in this monastery. The first monastery was established in front of the cave. The church and monk rooms standing in front of the cave belong to the 19th century. Located 9 km north of the complex, the chapel dates to the 15th century and contains valuable frescoes. Kuştul - Hızır İlyas Monastery (Gregorius Peristera) It was established in the middle of the 8th century near Şimşirli Village of Maçka district of our province and developed later. This is called Peristera. Only the foundations of the monastery have survived. Kaymaklı Monastery was established within the borders of the central district of our province, on the side of Boztepe overlooking the Değirmendere valley. It was built in 1424. The complex consists of a church with a single apse in the middle, a bell tower in the northwest, a small chapel and monastery cells in the southeast. The monastic structures were repaired many times. The oldest part is the pentagonal apse of the church. The frescoes inside the church are dated to the 18th century.

 

The Monastery of Girls (Panagia Theokephastros)

It was established on the slope of Boztepe within the borders of the central district of our province, in a position that dominates the city. The monastery complex, built on two terraces, was surrounded by a high protective wall. Monastery III. It was founded during the reign of Alexios (1349-1390) and was repaired several times and took its final shape in the 19th century. Firstly, it consists of a rock church with holy water in the south, a chapel at the entrance and several cells. Inside the rock church III. There are inscriptions and portraits of Alexios' wife Theodora and his mother Eirene.

The Convent of the Girls (Panagia Keramesta)
This monastery is located in the valley of Kiremitli Village of Maçka district of our province. The meaning of the name of the place has not been understood until now. There is no inscription stating who came here first. This building, which is a miniature of the Sumela or Vazelon monasteries, is complemented by a sacred cave. Although the surviving stone sections give the impression that this monastery was built in the Middle Ages, the building was built in 1858.

 

Trabzon castle

Located in the city center of Trabzon, on the highest point of the city, the castle is one of the works that have survived to the present day in Trabzon. Trabzon Castle, which starts from the seaside and extends to the hills behind the city, was built on old foundations belonging to the Byzantine Age. Consisting of three separate sections, namely Upper Hisar, Middle Hisar and Lower Hisar, the castle was built with stones collected from ancient monuments. However, at the beginning of our century, the stones of the same castle were used in the construction of new buildings this time. 300 m to Yukarı Hisar. No remains have survived from the theater in the north.

Atatürk pavilion

The mansion was built by Konstantin Kabayanidis at the beginning of the 19th century as a summer residence on the Soğuksu Ridges that dominate Trabzon. Large and ostentatious European symbols were used in the building, which carries the influences of European and Western Renaissance architecture. However, stonework was used on the exterior of the mansion and its garden is surrounded by pine trees. Stairs with brick interior are wooden and with railing. Tiles were used on the floors, and the ceilings were decorated with empirical plaster. The water and heat installations were furnished with the advanced technology of the period. On the ground floor are the living room, recreation room, dining room and guest room. On the first floor there is a study room, master bedroom, waiting room and meeting room. There are two small rooms on the second floor. Atatürk made his first visit to Trabzon in September 1924. When the Trabzon Municipality was honored on 15 September and the 3rd Atatürk honored Trabzon for the second time in November 1930, he was hosted in the Mansion and was very pleased. He stayed for two nights in the mansion arranged for him in June 1937, and on the night of June 11, he decided to gift all his property to the Turkish Nation, which he loved very much, and prepared and sent a list of his assets. Prime Minister for action. While dedicating his property in the Mansion in Trabzon to his nation, Atatürk said: “A person's wealth should be in his spiritual personality. Ownership weighs heavily on me. Giving these to my people gives me relief.” For an unknown reason, the mansion in Soğuksu was not included in the list of gifts to the Turkish nation, and after his death, it was left to his brother Makbule Boysan. Ataturk's Mansion is a history