Sümela Monastery draws over 2 mln visitors in five years
Nestled in the Black Sea province of Trabzon’s Maçka district, the historic Sümela Monastery has welcomed more than 2 million domestic and international visitors over the past five years following the completion of its restoration on July 1, 2021.
Carved into a cliff 300 meters above the Altındere Valley on Karadağ Mountain, the monastery is one of Türkiye’s leading religious tourism attractions and has been experiencing another busy season as visitor numbers continue to grow.
Also known as the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, the site was closed in September 2015 because of the risk of falling rocks. Restoration and geological reinforcement work launched by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in February 2016 was completed in phases, with the courtyard reopening on May 25, 2019, 65 percent of the complex becoming accessible on July 28, 2020, and the entire monastery reopening on July 1, 2021.
The monastery was temporarily closed again on Nov. 1, 2021, for additional rockfall protection. Hazardous rocks were secured with steel cables and protective barriers before the site reopened on May 1, 2022.
