Submitted by Drunkcodes t3_11e0uci in pics
Comments
Drunk_Gamer_Guy t1_jabw8db wrote
How old is this structure?
[deleted] t1_jabwsm4 wrote
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Drunkcodes OP t1_jabxdrr wrote
It is not known when the monastery was founded, but the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism places the date around AD 386, during the reign of the emperor Theodosius I (375–395).
iavicenna t1_jabxgrx wrote
my first reaction was "but how the fuck??"
grpagrati t1_jaby8n2 wrote
Greek Orthodox monastery founded during the days of the Roman empire
Victor_deSpite t1_jabz2i8 wrote
How the hell do you get supplies like food? Every week all the monks hike down with a basket on their backs or something? I really want to understand the logistics of these places.
misha_ostrovsky t1_jac0r5y wrote
Prolly huge deliveries of grain to be stored. Maybe keep hella chickens and pigs. Couple milk cows. I would think lowering stuff would be easier than climbing stuff up
Freeman10 t1_jac122l wrote
How did they even build that thing? It really blows my mind when I think about it.
[deleted] t1_jac2e4k wrote
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Drunkcodes OP t1_jac2u8b wrote
Logically I can't figure it out, because look at the position of the building. No helicopter at the time of construction.
Like how was it done? How was it possible? How safe was the process?
Amastarism t1_jac3twv wrote
Everyone is commenting "how?", but the question in my head, is why?! Just build it on a flat piece of land like a normal person. This is a silly place.
Drunkcodes OP t1_jac47tn wrote
Somethings are meant to push the curiosity in us. Every building shouldn't be normal building, some are meant to be special.
Some buildings/paintings/sculptures are meant to keep a message alive for centuries.
For the "why", maybe it was for security or for religious reasons.
RedDidItAndYouKnowIt t1_jac58ai wrote
Guys... The internet has answers... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumela_Monastery
vari8 t1_jac5h7j wrote
the hard work i imagine
Youthinkitsbeentough t1_jac6uyf wrote
Legos go back further than most realize.
😉
reize t1_jac6v2t wrote
My first reaction was "WHY" the fuck. I'm pretty sure even in land scarce and incredibly unfavorable terrain, there would've been better places to build anything than here.
brahbruz t1_jac82qk wrote
Disclaimer: I don't know crap about Türkish spirituality (Türkiyesh? Not sure with the new name).
Monasteries and cathedrals are usually built to be impressive as a show of devotion or to invoke awe deliberately. The challenge of building there was probably part of the reason it was even done.
NotARobotSpider t1_jac8bgd wrote
It must have the highest rate of falling out of windows outside of Russia
chromegreen t1_jac8phe wrote
My question is how is it still standing? Most of the country is an earthquake zone. Is it far away from fault lines or maybe being attached to a cliff makes it resistant to lateral movement?
itakepictures2 t1_jac8xnu wrote
Wow that is cool
Archtarius t1_jacb63q wrote
These kind of monastries are built in Roman Era where Christianity just begun so it wasnt accepted in Rome as a religion so any christians would be hunted down by Romans,
The monastries are hidden in mountains to hide the monks and christians from Romans
Big-Surf-Lil-Surf t1_jacdd96 wrote
I wonder how many people died building this thing
csky t1_jace4ul wrote
If you have seen the province you would understand. There is no flat land.
iavicenna t1_jacf72b wrote
well if this was the aim, they have been successful
popperinthere t1_jacfbjw wrote
Established 386 ce. Nestled in a steep cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) facing the Altındere valley, it is a site of great historical and cultural significance, as well as a major tourist attraction within Altındere National Park. Due to an increase in rock falls, on 22 September 2015 the monastery was closed to the public for safety reasons for the duration of one year to resolve the problem; this was later extended to three years. It reopened to tourists 25 May 2019.[3] The monastery is one of the most important historic and touristic venues in Trabzon.[4] - Wikipedia
eezyE4free t1_jacgs58 wrote
100% guess: natural walking path that ended below a natural cave. (You can kind of see the top of the cave?) stairs are carved into the rock face up to the cave. Foundations are flattened and the cave mouth is formed for temporary living. Then you can continue to harvest blocks from the cave and start your outer walls.
Water supply might be from the cave or a river/creek nearby. Food has to come up from the stairs or possible lowered from a terrace above?
Again 100% conjecture and by no means an easy feat.
gentlepettingzoo t1_jacgv00 wrote
Safety it's the high ground so if you're constantly dealing with wars and looters whether it's a holy war or whatever the chances of your church and artifacts being destroyed is less likely
kitd t1_jacha81 wrote
Monasteries were often built for spiritual retreat. Get away from the hassles of the real world to allow focus on meditation and prayer. And, you know, not many people are going to be casually passing that place.
Hanzilol t1_jachbaz wrote
What message? "We have resources to waste"?
bluegoobeard t1_jacj83a wrote
Why is this not a world wonder?
abiostudent3 t1_jacksec wrote
Yes. That's the point of beautiful cathedrals of any religion. It's a way to project power and inspire awe.
After all, if their god can afford such luxurious temples on earth, *surely they must be the right one with a glorious afterlife! (Not to mention that religion has always tried to gain influence and political power, and an ostentatious display of resources certainly doesn't hurt that.)
Kanelbullah t1_jacn2fx wrote
"🦃"
mediapl0y t1_jacnbea wrote
Jack-Campin t1_jacogyx wrote
I visited it at the time when they were refurbing it (early 90s I think; big international effort). At that point the frescoes were quite badly damaged, with graffiti in Greek with occasional dates in the 1880s. They got it back to looking like new for a while, but I never saw it like that. It was much more badly damaged a few years ago by Islamist vandals.
The isolated location was probably intended to keep women out.
ElGuano t1_jacq95m wrote
How do they deal with rockslides and falling debris?
dangerousbob t1_jacqd4g wrote
Looks like a level from Castlevania.
rity5yender t1_jacr6w2 wrote
Why? Because it looks badass.
roleplayingasanadult t1_jactkod wrote
Roman Empire fell 476, great schism was 1054. I suspect time travel was involved
g_e_r_b t1_jactvfx wrote
- build a monastery in a mountain
- wait for the mountain to disintegrate
- ask Peter Jackson to shoot a LOTR film there
twoinvenice t1_jacvdvm wrote
The Eastern Roman Empire didn’t fall until 1453, and during that entire time those people called themselves “Romans”. Byzantine is a description created by historians in more modern times.
el_mialda t1_jacvkfy wrote
Eastern Roman Empire called themselves Roman Empire and fell in 1453. I don’t think time travel is necessary.
OsamaBinFuckin t1_jacx0di wrote
Dream_Streamer_ t1_jacxk85 wrote
So, in other words the builders were fearless badasses willing to build that shit no matter what.
Edit: Or slaves
[deleted] t1_jaczi4u wrote
Trumpswells t1_jaczn2l wrote
Also higher up, closer to God, further removed from earthly temptations.
lacheur42 t1_jaczy7o wrote
> Every week all the monks hike down with a basket on their backs or something?
pretty much! Sometimes they'll have rope/cable systems for hauling stuff up.
amigonnnablooow t1_jad17zj wrote
Escaping Roman oppression against Christian’s in early days.
Duffman48 t1_jad3c18 wrote
Nah this is Stormveil Castle.
largish t1_jad3nd6 wrote
How did this survive the earthquake?
funkiestj t1_jad4yq0 wrote
fun wikipedia rabbithole
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumela_Monastery#Modern_period
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_exchange_between_Greece_and_Turkey
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_genocide
I had heard of the Armenian genocide but the Greek genocide was is new to me. Genocide is so 19th century guys.
Stroomschok t1_jad57al wrote
Nah, it's because you've got a bunch of pretty weak-ass monks hiding in a monastery, often quite loaded with expensive artifacts.
Building a stone fuck-you fortress on a steep fuck-siege-weapons mountainside meant all you needed to keep invaders out was not open the door, no fighting required.
Human_Robot t1_jad5box wrote
Imagine attacking that place with a sword, a spear, and some bows and arrows. That's often the why.
A_Soporific t1_jad5nyz wrote
The builders were monks who decided to live on the side of that mountain so they could focus on being monks. So I guess?
GeniusEE t1_jad5z97 wrote
Makes me wonder how many times a rock has crashed through the roof
Stroomschok t1_jad6ryh wrote
No, it's an awesome place for bunch of old monks to protect themselves against raiders. Medieval invaders simply lacked the tools to make assaulting a place like this viable.
boboluv t1_jad7yew wrote
I wonder what was the casualty rate during construction.
Stroomschok t1_jad8chc wrote
This is from around 400AD. At that point Christianity was the state religion for the (two) Roman Empire(s).
Building a monastery like this requires lot of expert craftsmen and resources and is not something early Christianity could even hope to afford while it was still being oppressed two centuries earlier.
Stroomschok t1_jad8jmt wrote
Or rather to keep the men from running away :p
Leather-College2557 t1_jaddkig wrote
fr tho, how did they build that?
MajCassiusStarbuckle t1_jadeoo1 wrote
>How the hell do you get supplies like food?
They used to use trebuchets to lob supplies through the windows but they now use high powered T-shirt cannons.
I-seddit t1_jadf0rs wrote
This is easily the coolest thing I've seen in a while. I'd love to go check it out.
I-seddit t1_jadfece wrote
Agreed. It now is to me.
I-seddit t1_jadgr3w wrote
Let's see about that. It has lasted for 1600 years so far. How long do you think your house will last?
Doesn't sound like a waste to me.
GlacialFlare t1_jadiiy4 wrote
Was this before or after the fire nation attacked?
Goodtimee t1_jadlwvy wrote
Turkey?
Dependent_Setting_12 t1_jadm5gt wrote
Imagine being asked to help build this. I mean it's beautiful but no.
Irish618 t1_jadqyf5 wrote
Besides the point others have made that the Roman Empire lasted until 1453, this monastery was built in 386.
meelawsh t1_jadr5d5 wrote
It was built by the Byzantines. Locations like these were picked because of increasing raids by foreign armies or local bandits. See: Meteora in Greece
[deleted] t1_jadxvoq wrote
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BeautifulEmu6565 t1_jadyoaf wrote
place for bunch of old monks to protect themselves against raiders,
[deleted] t1_jae2nbb wrote
Positive-Ad-8760 t1_jae62f2 wrote
why are you posting my homeunit. Studied there as a youngster smdh
noxpost t1_jaec2ng wrote
Remember when the orcs attacked? Crazy.
[deleted] t1_jaeeyrx wrote
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Merfen t1_jaefxy0 wrote
The problem though is if someone wanted your stuff and didn't want to fight you in your cliff castle for it they could just camp at the staircase until everyone starved or gave up.
plasma_dan t1_jaehaip wrote
If you look up the monastery on wikipedia, you can see that the cave behind the monastery's facade is actually pretty deep. Looking at the pictures the construction seems much more feasible by ancient peoples
Dream_Streamer_ t1_jabw24k wrote
It really baffles my mind how they built these sort of structures, can someone explain?
Edit: So I looked up some pictures and I see we are just looking at the cliff face of the monastery. The rest of it extends pretty far into the cavern going into the mountain. It's a bit more understandable knowing they would have built it up from inside, instead of dangling from the mountain...