Turkey or more exactly Atindere valley can boast one of the oldest temples in the world, Sumela Monastery. Unique in all respects, this monastery was carved in the slope of the Black Mountain at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. According to the legend, monks from Athens called Barnabas and Sophronius were founders of this Christian monastery. They have found an icon of the Virgin Mary in one of the local caves and in 386AD the monastery was founded on that site. The hard-to-get monastery looks fascinating; it seems that it was literally built in the rock.
Once, the monastery was a four-storey complex with 72 cells. In the early 20th century, it was severely damaged by fire. Restoring is going there now. The temple is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Macka village. The road runs wild in dense forests. At the foot of the mountain originates a narrow and steep trail, which has been laid to the holy places by thousands of pilgrims hundreds of years ago.
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