City Castles (walls)
The city walls, which are still standing, are among the city’s oldest structures. Their oldest part can be dated back to the 1st. century AD, that is the Roman Period. Historical sources provide information about older stages of their construction. Xenophon, who visit the city in the 5th century BC, also mentions the existence of city walls. The walls can be divided into three parts that are Yukarı Hisar (The inner stronghold) and Orta Hisar were founded on the towering mass of rocks between Kuzgun Creek and Ä°maret (Ä°skeleboz) Creek. This structure comprises the oldest part of the stronghold and could be described has roughly Trapezoid in shape. The name of the city come from the word "Trapez" or "Trapezus", which means "Trapezoid"

M.Kemal Atatürk’s Pavilion
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a Greek bankers Constantine Kabayanidis was built by . The treasury remained after 1923. The Turkish Leader Ataturk ,in 1934 and 1937 visits have been guests in this villa. City council after his death, is used by objects that are decorated with period as the Atatürk Museum was opened to visitors.

Ayasofia Museum (HAGHIA SOPHIA)

Now used as a museum, was built during the reign of Manuel Comnenos I, king of the Empire of Trabzon (1238-1263). The bell tower to the west of the church was dated to 1427 by G. Finlay, a British traveller and scholar. The chapel with three apses, the remains of which are to the north of the church, must belong to an earlier period.

The church was turned into a mosque and became a charitable foundation when the Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror captured Trabzon. For centuries the church of Ayasofya has attention of travellers and scholars visiting the city. Among those who recognized the importance of the building were Evliya Çelebi (1648) famous for his account of Trabzon, Pitton de Tournefort (1701), Hamilton (1836), Texier (1864), Åžakir Åževket of Trabzon (1878) and Lynch (1893).

It is known that the mosque, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, was restored in 1864 at the insistence of Rıza Efendi from Bursa. It was used as a depot and hospital during the First War but became a mosque again after the end of the war. Between 1958 and 1962 it was restored in a project carried out jointly by the Ditectorate of Charities and Edinburgh University. In l964 it started to be used as a museum.

The building is a very good example of late Byzantine church arthitecture.It has a cruciform plan, with a high central dome. It has a vestibule, called as a nar thex, and three aisles. The central aisle has a pentagonal apse where as the other two on the sides and semi-circular apses. There is a chapel in the narthex.

The buildings has three porches, on the north , west and south sides.

The dome is supported by four mar ble monolithic columns, with arches and pendentives and, at its base, twelve corners. The building is covered with different vaults around the central dome and tiles were arranged to give different heights to the roof.

In addition toelements reflecting the tradition of Christıan art, the influence of Seljuk art can also be observed in the stone relief which are of superior workman ship. The panels on the north and the west porches are decorated with interlocking geometric design and the ornate niches on the west side have features that are identical to stone-carving of the Seljuk period.

The most attractive side of the building is the south side . Here, on a frieze, the creation of Adam and Eve is depicted in relief. On the keystone of the arch there is a single ? headed eagle motif, the symbol of the Comneni who ruled Trabzon for 257 years.

A similar eagle design is to be found on the exterior of main east apses. Among the most beautiful of the stone carving are those found on the south side of the building. They include figures of mythcal creatures such as girifons and centaurs, reliefs depicting doves, and panels decorated with central stars and crescent design and floral motifs.

 

Sumela (Virgin Mary Monastery)
The Sumela Monastery, which stands at the foot of a steep cliff facing the Altındere valley in the region of Maçka in Trabzon Province, is popularly known as "Meryem Ana" (The Virgin Mary). The building complex is nearly 300 metres high and was built following the tradition of monasteries that were located outside the cities in forest near caves and sources of water.

The Monastery, founded in honour of the Virgin Mary, took the name of "Sumela" which derives from "Melas", meaning black. Although it is thought that it has taken this name from the mountains, the KaradaÄŸlar (Black Mountains), on which stands, it could also be associated with the black colour of the icon of the Virgin Mary.

According to tradition, the Monastery was founded by two priests called Barnabas and Sophronius who came from Athens during the reign of the Emperor Theodosius I (AD 375 ? 395). Then, in the 6th century, it was restored by the General Belisarius at the behest Emperor Justinian who wanted it to be enlarged and restored.

The Monastery reached its final, present form in the 13th century. It gained importance during the reign of Alexios III (1349 ? 1390) of the Comnenian Empire of Trabzon, which had been established in 1204. Its income was assured from imperial funds. During the time of Manuel III, son of Alexius III, and the reigns of later princes, Sumela gained further wealth from new imperial grants.

Like most other monasteries, the rights of the Sumela Monastery were preserved by the Ottoman Sultans and some special privileges were given after the Eastern Black Sea Coast came under the domination of the Turks.

During the 18th century many parts of the Monastery were restored and the walls were decorated with frescoes. In the 19th century the Monastery took on an impressive appearence with the addition of larger buildings. This was the Monastery’s heyday and it attracted many foreign travellers who mentioned it in their writings.

The Monastery was seized by the Russian during the occupation of Trabzon between 1916 ? 1918, and then in 1923 it was completely abandoned.

The principal elements of the Monastery complex are the Rock Church, several chapels, kitchens, student rooms, a guesthouse, library and sacred spring revered by Orthodox Greeks. These were built over a very large area.

The large aqueduct at the entrance, which clearly supplied water to the Monastery, is constructed against the side of the cliff. The aqueduct has many arches which now mostly restorated.

The entrance to the Monastery leads up by a long and narrow stairway. There is guard-room next to the entrance. The stairs lead from there to the inner courtyard. On the left, in front of cave, which constitutes the centre of the Monastery and which was turned into a church , there are several monastery buildings. The library is to the right.

The large building with a balcony on the front part of the cliff was used for the monks’ cells and as guesthouse. It dates to 1860.

The influence of Turkish art can be observed in the design of the cupboards, niches and fire-place in the rooms of the buildings surrounding the courtyard.

The inner and outer walls of the Rock Church and the walls of the adjacent chapel are decorated with frescoes. The frescoes of the time of Alexios III can be seen on the inner wall of the Rock Church facing the courtyard. The frescoes of the chapel which were painted on three levels in three different periods are dated to the beginning of the 18th century. The frescoes of the bottom band are of superior quality.