Historic places in Trabzon

Historic places in Trabzon

1. See

   City Museum

   This exhibits city history from its Ancient Greek foundation to Ottoman times, plus local natural history and ethnography. Signage is only in Turkish.

   Tue-Sun 09:00-19:00·Adult 50 TL

2. See

   Fatih Mosque

   Panagia Khrysokephalos

   The "Golden domed church of All Saints" was built in the 10th or 11th century on much earlier foundations - until the 4th century AD it was the scene of Mithras worship.In the Middle ages it was the city cathedral, and hosted coronations for the Emperors of Trebizond. It was converted to a mosque when the Ottomans took over in 1461. Restoration in 2017/18 uncovered more original features, and a raised glass platform enables you to see the fine late-Roman mosaic floor.

3. See

   Girls Monastery

   Kızlar Manastırı

   The only nunnery in the city was built in the 1360s around one of the holy cave springs at Boztepe. The rock church has frescoes depicting Alexios III, his wife Theodora and his mother Irene (the likely benefactor of the monastery). It closed in 1922 when the Orthodox population were deported. It was restored in 2021.

   Mon 12:00-19:00, Tue-Fri 09:00-19:00

4. See

   Hagia Sophia

   The city's top sight, a Byzantine church built in the 1250s, with beautiful frescoes, arches and friezes. It became a mosque in 2013 whereupon pre-Islamic features were covered up, but most of these were uncovered in 2020. The free-standing bell tower was added in 1427; nothing remains of the monastery.

   24 hr·Free

5. See

   History Museum

   Ortahisar Tarih Müzesi

   Restored mansion with photographs, documents and artefacts describing the city in the Ottoman and Republican periods. Signage is only in Turkish.

   Daily 09:00-17:00·Free

6. See

   Kalepark Fortress

   This was rebuilt by the Genoese when they took over in 1306. They called it "beautiful castle", Leonkastron or in Turkish Güzelhisar, which you wouldn't guess from its shambles of a ruin.

7. See

   Kaymaklı Monastery

   Monastery of the All-Saviour, Ամենափրկիչ Վանք

   The Armenian Monastery of the All-Saviour is on a hill southeast of town. Its foundation date was maybe 1424 AD, over an earlier Greek church. Armenians who had survived the modern massacres left after 1923 and the place fell derelict - the walls and bell tower have gone. The church contains frescoes and has been re-roofed but you're unlikely to find it open.

8. See

   Kudrettin Mosque

   St Philip Church

   Built as St Philip Church in 1302 and extended into a cathedral in 1461. It was converted into a mosque circa 1665. In 1968 this was rebuilt, so what you see now is retro-Ottoman.

9. See

   Kuştul Monastery

   Ιερά Μονή του Αγίου Γεωργίου Περιστερεώτα

   Founded in 752 AD, Saint George Peristereota Monastery is now just a few walls teetering on a crag, with cliffs and other pitfalls around: don't come in the fog and drizzle. From Esiroğlu on D885 follow the winding lane towards Şimşirli, but the final rough trail starts 2 km before the village.

10. Do

    Sekiz Direkli Hamam

    Eight-Column Hamam

    Historic hamam to the west of the bazaar quarter. It has separate days for men and women.

    Daily 07:00-00:00

11. See

    Sümela Monastery

    A spectacular monastery hewn into a cliff. It was founded in the fourth century, with its heyday in Byzantine and early Ottoman times. It's been ruined and rebuilt several times, but fell derelict after its Greeks were deported. Many frescoes and mosaics have been vandalised, but more have been found in hidden chambers. Try to dodge the tour groups: from the parking lot you take a minibus shuttle up to the site, paying for both.

    Daily 08:00-20:00·Foreigners €20 or MüzeKart

12. See

    Vazelon Monastery

    Founded in 270 AD as one of the first-ever Christian monasteries, now ruined and unsafe. Take the road off D885 towards Köprüyanı, then the track branching uphill from the first hairpin bend - this is only suitable for high-clearance 4WD, it's safer to hike the last 2 km.

13. See Not mapped

    Trabzorspor Museum

    History and trophies of Trabzonspor football club.

    Daily 09:00-17:00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Trabzon (CC BY-SA 4.0).