What's Inside Sumela Monastery? A Room-by-Room Guide

Updated: 2026-10-21 · 4 min read

Inside Sumela Monastery: the courtyard and frescoed Rock Church under the cliff

Quick answer: Inside Sumela Monastery you walk through a small courtyard to the Rock Church, a chapel built into a natural cave and covered inside and out with Byzantine frescoes. Around it are the monks' cells, the kitchen and bakery, a library, guest rooms, a holy spring and the aqueduct that once brought water along the cliff.

From the valley, Sumela Monastery looks like a single building glued to the rock. Once you climb the stairs and pass the entrance, it turns into a small village stacked on narrow terraces. Here is what you will see inside, in the order most visitors walk through it.

1. The entrance stairs and the courtyard

A long stone staircase leads up from the trail to the monastery gate. Behind it, the path drops down into the inner courtyard. This is the only open, flat space in the complex, and it is where you first see how the buildings lean against the overhanging cliff.

2. The Rock Church: the heart of Sumela

The oldest and most important part of Sumela Monastery is the Rock Church, a chapel built inside a natural cave in the cliff. Tradition says this is where the monks Barnabas and Sophronios found the icon of the Virgin Mary around AD 386. Its walls, both inside and on the outside facing the courtyard, are covered with frescoes.

3. The frescoes

The frescoes show Christ, the Virgin Mary, saints and scenes from the Bible. They were painted in several layers over the centuries, and most of what you see today dates from the later periods of the monastery. Look closely and you will notice scratches and carved names: graffiti left by visitors after the monks left in 1923. The restoration that began in 2015 protected what survives, but the damage is part of Sumela's story.

A guide explains what each fresco shows – book a guided Sumela tour with hotel pickup:

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4. Monks' cells, kitchen, bakery and library

Around the courtyard and on the floors above it you will find the rooms where the monks lived and worked: small cells, a kitchen and bakery, storage rooms and a library. Many rooms have windows and balconies that open straight onto the Altındere Valley, about 300 m above the valley floor.

5. The holy spring and the aqueduct

Sumela has a holy spring (ayazma) whose water was believed to heal. The monastery got its water from an aqueduct built along the cliff face; you can see its arches on the way in. It is one of the best photo spots of the visit.

How long does it take to see inside?

Plan about 1 to 1.5 hours inside the monastery and 2 to 3 hours in total with the walk up from the car park. Wear shoes with good grip: the stairs and paths can be wet. Dress modestly, it is a religious site.

Short on time? A private Sumela tour gets you there and back in about 4 hours:

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FAQ

What is inside Sumela Monastery?

A courtyard, the Rock Church with Byzantine frescoes, monks' cells, a kitchen and bakery, a library, guest rooms, a holy spring and an aqueduct along the cliff.

Can you go inside Sumela Monastery?

Yes. Sumela Monastery is a museum and visitors can walk through the courtyard, see the Rock Church and its frescoes and visit the surrounding rooms. Some areas may be closed during conservation work.

How old are the frescoes at Sumela?

They were painted in several layers over many centuries; most of the frescoes visible today come from the later periods of the monastery.

How long should I spend inside?

About 1 to 1.5 hours inside, or 2 to 3 hours including the walk from the car park.