Vazelon Monastery
In Turkey’s Black Sea Region is the city of Trabzon. Like everywhere in Turkey, Trabzon was home to ancient regions, cities, and civilizations (which is one of the many reasons why Turkey is SO COOL!!!). One of the region’s main landmarks is the Sumela Monastery. However, when we were visiting the Black Sea Region, the Sumela Monastery was closed for renovation. When one is in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, one must visit a monastery, so we endeavored to find the lesser-known Vazelon Monastery. The Vazelon Monastery is situated in the mountainous Maçka district.
A quick search online reveals that Vazelon Monastery was thought to have been built sometime between 270-317. It was restored many times and the parts that stand today were restored during the 14th and 19th centuries. The monastery was located on the historical Silk Road, making it important and wealthy. The building was in use until it was abandoned in 1923 during the population exchange between Turkey and Greece. For the lovers of history among us, you can read a more detailed account of the monastery here: http://atlas.usv.ro/www/codru_net/CC20/1/vazelon.pdf
We drove through some rather narrow but paved roads. Along the way, we came to what looked like two abandoned lodges and restaurants. In the one building, everything looked like it had been ransacked. The other building looked like the place had been left in a hurry. Of course, I can’t find a picture of the outside of the buildings, but here is the inside. (I cut my hand while climbing inside, so you better appreciate these picture.)
There was a gorgeous alpine-like view from the abandoned buildings.
The narrow-but-paved roads gave way to narrower gravel roads. The gravel eventually disappeared and then it was just a collection of dirt, rocks, and roots that one might call a small thoroughfare. We drove the car as far as we could but then the way was too narrow and the sheer drop-off on the edge too far.
We continued walking until eventually we came to this:
At first we weren’t sure what to do with the make-shift roadblock but in the end we decided we weren’t going to let scary sweater lady deter us from finding our monastery prize. So we set-out again and we walked, and walked, and then walked some more. Eventually the path disappeared into a patch of weeds with no monastery in sight.
With disappointed hearts, we decided to turn around.
However, on the way back down the mountain we saw a small but brightly colored piece of plastic marker. Upon examination, we saw that it was the marking of a small path. Our hearts leapt with joy and we hurriedly climbed the path. Our journey was rewarded when at the top of the path it opened into a clearing with the entrance to the Vazelon Monastery.
If you love adventure, exploration, and climbing, I would highly recommend a visit to the Vazelon Monastery. If you are more of a level ground, paved path kind of soul, you might want to stick with the city of Trabzon or maybe the Sumela Monastery.
It turns out while ascending the road towards the monastery, if you look up now and again you can catch a glimpse of the structure from between the trees.
To our friends in the West, keep looking East!
Ginny Lou Henley
Ginny Lou is a co-founder of West2East. Originally from Alabama, Ginny Lou has called Turkey home for the past nine years. To read more about her, click here.