ITINERARY

• It is believed that the church was built between 365-395 AD. The rules of Cappadocia churches, which are frequently encountered in Anatolia, were made; in fact, there is a similar cave church in the Maşatlık area of ​​Trabzon. Little can be said about the thousand-year period between the first foundation of the church and its conversion into a monastery. According to a legend told among the Black Sea Greeks, two monks named Barnabas and Sophronios of Athens had the same dream; in their dreams, they saw the place of Sumela where the icon was located, out of the three Panagia icons made by Saint Luke in the children of Jesus. Thereupon, unaware of the events, they came to Trabzon by sea, met there, told each other about their dreams and thought that the first church could be built. However, the fact that it is widely present in the frescoes in the monastery makes it thought that Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond, who is given special importance, is the real founder of the monastery.
• Zigana Pass is a pass in the North Anatolian Mountains, within the borders of Gümüşhane province. Its altitude is 2032 meters. The pass is located at the transition point between the Eastern Black Sea geographical structure and the Central Anatolian plateaus. The Harşit Valley is located on the Central Anatolian side. On the Central Anatolian side of the pass, villages are less common than on the Black Sea side, collective settlements are seen and the density of forests decreases. The pass is located among dense forests.
• Hamsiköy is an old accommodation place located 19 km away from Maçka District on the northern route of the Silk Road from China and India to Europe on the northern skirt of Zigana Mountain. Its name comes from the Arabic Hamse village (five villages). Hamsiköy has a unique natural beauty with its gushing waters flowing from its rivers throughout the valley, mountain slopes embraced by mist, forests with purple-flowered rhododendrons, historical mansions and fountains. In addition to its natural, cultural and historical values, it contributes to the economy of Trabzon and the country with its delicious milk originating from the flower flora of the region and the production of vacuum kashar, butter, string cheese and curd cheese. Hamsiköy Sütlacı: The specialty of Hamsiköy Sütlacı is that the delicious milk originating from the flower flora of the region is cooked in a long time like one hour with a special cooking technique using only rice, sugar and salt.
• The glass observation terrace built on the summit close to Torul Castle, known to have been built in the Middle Ages and incorporated into Ottoman territory during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, for defense and surveillance purposes, is one of the highest examples in Turkey with its 240-meter height from the ground and one of the closest and most accessible glass terraces with its 2-kilometer distance to the highway. The 240-meter glass observation terrace in Torul District has been completed and opened to visitors. The observation terrace built on the summit of the hill where Torul Castle is located, located on the route of the Zigana tunnel and Karaca Cave, attracts the attention of local and foreign tourists with its 90-square-meter area and reinforced glass platform that can carry 50 people at the same time.
• Karaca Cave, which takes its name from the neighborhood of the village where it is located, is a magnificent natural wonder that nature has created over millions of years of effort, has been patiently carved, and every point has been treated with the same care. Karaca Cave, located just southwest of Karaca Neighborhood within the borders of Cebeli Village in Torul district of Gümüşhane, is 17 km from the city center and 1550 meters above sea level. The cave, which can be reached by following the 4 km road that branches off 12 km north of the Gümüşhane-Trabzon highway, has facilities where visitors can meet their needs such as eating, drinking, resting and buying souvenirs.