Sümela Monastery reopened to visitors

Sümela Monastery, on a ledge in a steep cliff. (Photographer: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen. http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html) Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8298003

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, announced on 25 June that Sümela Monastery had reopened to visitors via his official account on social platforms:
“We have reopened Sümela Monastery to our visitors following the completion of the first phase of our comprehensive maintenance and security works, carried out with the aim of ensuring the safety of our visitors and the preservation of our cultural heritage.

In line with scientific data, expert opinions and the decisions of the relevant conservation bodies, we have made this unique heritage site safer through rock surface cleaning, protective measures and landscaping carried out on the slopes.

“Thanks to these efforts, which we have carried out in line with our approach centred on striking a balance between conservation and visitor access, we are continuing to preserve both the natural character and the historical significance of the Sümela Monastery for future generations.”

Scope of the works
According to a report by Dilhan Türker Yıldız of AA, as part of the works, specialist mountaineering teams carried out extensive rock surface cleaning on the steep slopes in the monastery’s inner and outer courtyards, which are difficult to access. As part of this, rock surfaces covering an area of 6,350 square metres in the outer courtyard and 1,225 square metres in the inner courtyard were cleaned, thereby eliminating potential risks. In the section of the inner courtyard with an inverted ceiling, a second layer of fine wire mesh was installed over an area of 935 square metres to prevent small rockfalls. Cracks and breaks in the flagstones along the walkways and in the courtyard floor were repaired, and the roof tiles of the ticket office building at the monastery entrance were replaced.

The fairly dramatic location of 

Photo source: www.instagram.com/mehmetersoytr