The world-famous Sumela Monastery will shine at night
Sumela Monastery, which is one of Turkey’s important religious tourism routes, will attract attention with its bright appearance at night on a steep slope together with the lighting work.
Sumela Monastery, which was carved into 300 meters high rocks in the Altındere Valley of Karadağ, in Maçka district of Trabzon, offers its guests nature, history and culture together in all seasons. The monastery, which is also on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, was closed to visitors in September 2015 due to the risk of rockfall.
In the restoration initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in February 2016, the first stage of landscaping, geological and geotechnical research and the consolidation of the rocks were completed, the part up to the courtyard was completed in May 2019, and 65 percent of the monastery, which is an important part of the second stage works, was completed on 28 July. It was put into service in 2020. The third stage, which also includes the inner courtyard, was opened to visitors on July 1, 2021.
STONES FIXED
In the historical monastery, which was closed and restored on November 1, 2021, dangerous rocks were fixed with steel ropes and rock-holding barriers were built despite the risk of rockfall.
With the completion of these works, the monastery, which opened its doors to its visitors as of May 1, 2022, was at the top of the travel guides of domestic and foreign tourists even when it was closed.
IT WILL ATTRACT ATTENTION WITH ITS NIGHT VIEW
Excavations and cleaning work were carried out both in the “graveyard chapel”, which had not been studied before, and in the “secret chapel”, where intact wall paintings were found in the monastery. Teams are working to erase the names written on the frescoes in the monastery.
While the work in the monastery continued, the landscaping was accelerated. In this context, the lighting of the monastery was completed to make it stand out in tourism.
Sümela, which has interior and exterior, aqueducts and environmental lighting, will offer a different beauty at night with its glittering view on a steep slope.
“LIGHTING PROJECT ENTERS SERVICE”
Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Tamer Erdoğan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Sümela Monastery has a unique beauty due to its location. Drawing attention to the importance of the monastery in terms of religious tourism, Erdoğan stated that in this context, Sümela Monastery contributes to tourism in the region and the country.
Erdogan conveyed the following information about the restoration work in the monastery:
“The rocky slopes of the monastery were cleaned and protected with steel mesh cages. In the next stage, the restoration of the interior parts of the monastery and the interior and exterior restoration of the monastery were completed. Cleaning works continue.”
Stating that the visitor entries to the Sümela Monastery, which was closed due to the restoration works that started in 2016, started again on May 1, 2022, Erdoğan noted that the Sümela Monastery hosted 340 thousand visitors during this period.
Here are the images from the illuminated Sumela Monastery…
