Kizlar Monastery

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View of the monastery

Panagia Theoskepastos (Παναγία Θεοσκέπαστος, German  “ Panagia the God-Guarded” ), today Kızlar Monastery ( Turkish Kızlar Monastırı , German  “Jungfrauenkloster” ) near Trabzon , Turkey , is a former Greek-Orthodox convent from the Byzantine era.

location

The monastery is located on the northern slope of Boztepe , a 244 m high hill a few kilometers south of Trabzon overlooking the city near the monasteries Vazelon and Sumela , also on the Altındere river .

history

The monastery was built during the reign of Alexios III. (1349–1390) and was changed several times, most recently in the 19th century. Recent excavations at the Kizlar monastery show that the Seljuks had reached Trabzon. During the same excavations, parts of a human skeleton from the 18th century BC were found. The whole monastery is to be restored after the excavations are finished.

building

Located on two levels, the site is surrounded by a wall. The church is a cave church with rich frescoes . Inside there is a spring with "holy water". There are also buildings with monk cells.

Frescoes

In the church there are frescoes depicting Alexios III, his wife Theodora and his mother Eirene.

swell

Coordinates: 40 ° 59 ′ 54.6 "  N , 39 ° 43 ′ 44.4"  E