Vazelon Monastery, Byzantine monastery ruins in Maçka, Turkey
The stone structure stands on four levels in the Pontic Mountains, containing multiple chambers including a dining hall and water storage system.
Founded between 270 and 317 CE, the monastery underwent restoration by Emperor Justinian I in 565 and remained active until the Greek-Turkish population exchange of 1923.
The monastery walls feature preserved frescoes depicting Heaven, Hell, and the Last Judgment, representing medieval Orthodox Christian artistic traditions.
The Turkish Tourism Ministry initiated restoration work in 2020 with European Union funding to address structural damage and preserve the remaining architecture.
The Acts of Vazelon, maintained by monks from the 8th to 19th centuries, document land transactions and social interactions in medieval Pontus.
Location: Maçka
GPS coordinates: 40.75984,39.52999
Latest update: May 11, 2025 07:56
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