Virgin Mary Monastery

The four-story monastery contains multiple chambers including a dining room, church, living quarters, and classroom spaces carved into the Pontic Mountains.

The monastery served as a refuge for early Christians during Roman occupation of Anatolia and remained active through the Byzantine period.

During the 1880s, more than 8,000 Pontian Greeks gathered at the monastery between August 26 and 28 for religious ceremonies.

The monastery became inaccessible after the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, but recent restoration works aim to make the site available for visitors.

The structure shares architectural similarities with the Sumela Monastery, featuring caves modified into functional spaces accessed by steep stone stairs.

Location: Şebinkarahisar

GPS coordinates: 40.27619,38.50635

Latest update: April 13, 2025 04:26