Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

Overview

On a green rise above the Black Sea, west of old Trabzon, a honey-colored stone church stands among palm trees, with deep porches and a tall dome. Inside, saints and scenes from the Gospels still glow on the vaults after more than 700 years. So this is the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon, the great church of the Empire of Trebizond and one of the finest examples of late Byzantine art.

The Story of the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

A church for an empire on the Black Sea

To begin with, after the Fourth Crusade took Constantinople in 1204, Trabzon became the capital of its own Greek state, the Empire of Trebizond. Emperor Manuel I built the Hagia Sophia in the mid-13th century, west of the walled town, near the shore.

After 1461

Then, in 1461, Mehmed II conquered Trabzon. Afterward, the church became a mosque and a pious foundation, and plaster later covered its frescoes.

Frescoes brought back to light

Much later, during the First World War, Russian forces occupied Trabzon, and scholars such as Fyodor Uspensky studied the church for the first time. Then, between 1957 and 1961, the Russell Trust of the University of Edinburgh cleaned off the plaster and uncovered the surviving frescoes. However, some parts are badly worn, and the frescoes of the south narthex are lost. In 1966, the building became a museum, and since 2013 it has served as a mosque again.

What to See at the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

The frescoes of the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

First, look up at the paintings. Dating from just after the church was built, they belong to the late Byzantine revival of art under the Palaiologan emperors and show New Testament scenes. Look especially for the Marriage at Cana, the Resurrection and Christ in the dome. Today, a curtain covers the frescoes of the prayer hall, while those in the narthex stay in view.

The church and its floor

Next, take in the building itself as well. Overall, it measures 22 meters (72 feet) long, 11.6 meters (38 feet) wide and 12.7 meters (42 feet) high. Above, a high central dome rests on four great arches. Below it, in turn, lies a floor of colored stone inlay, today protected under glass.

The carved porches

After that, walk around the outside. On the porches, for example, stone reliefs with figures and inscriptions follow the traditions of nearby Armenia and Georgia.

The bell tower of the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

Finally, cross the garden to the square bell tower of 1427, built in a style that recalls Venice. It may have served as a lighthouse or for astronomy, and in the mosque years it worked as a minaret.

Tips for visiting the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

Three Traditions in One Church

The Hagia Sophia of Trabzon mixes three traditions. First, its plan follows a Byzantine provincial style. Its dome takes a Georgian form, and its stone carving recalls Seljuk work. So the church shows how the Empire of Trebizond stood between Byzantium, the Caucasus and Anatolia.

Also, look down as well as up. The floor under the main dome is an opus sectile of nine kinds of marble, and in the twelve-sided drum of the dome the apostles look down from the frescoes. The church stands about 3 km (2 miles) from the central square, by the sea. Finally, to see it with the other great Byzantine monuments of Türkiye, join our Byzantine Turkey journey.

How to Visit the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

In practical terms, the church stands near the shore, west of the old center of Trabzon. In the evening, drive up to Boztepe for tea and the view over the city. Our Trabzon city tour joins the church with the Atatürk Pavilion and Boztepe.

Afterward, drive into the mountains to the Sumela Monastery, another treasure of the Pontic Greeks, or continue east to the lake of Uzungöl. To the west, a boat trip from Giresun reaches the legendary Giresun Island. In Istanbul, compare it with the great Hagia Sophia that gave it its name.