Sümela Monastery draws over 2 mln visitors in five years

TRABZON

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.

On UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List since 2000, the monastery is a major contributor to the region’s cultural, historical and nature tourism.

Official figures show the site received 153,994 visitors in 2021, 339,110 in 2022, 451,550 in 2023, 442,711 in 2024, 514,596 in 2025 and 128,311 between Jan. 1 and May 31, 2026, bringing the total to 2,030,272 visitors.

The latest maintenance work, carried out between June 8 and 16, 2026, included extensive rock-face cleaning by specialist climbers, repairs to damaged walking paths and roofs and restoration of deteriorated stone surfaces on the monastery’s aqueduct.

Following the completion of the work, the historic site reopened to visitors.

Nermin Yıldırım, a tour operator from Antalya, said her company brings around 600 visitors to Sümela each year.

“The architecture is magnificent. We can say it is among the best in the world,” Yıldırım said, noting that the monastery attracts many visitors from Japan and China. “The Black Sea is a vibrant region. We hope even more people visit our country and discover what it has to offer.”