-TRABZON, TÜRKİYE - MAY 31, 2025: The historic Sumela Monastery, nestled in a mountain cliff and surrounded by lush greenery in Türkiye's Black Sea province of Trabzon, was captured in stunning drone footage on Saturday, May 31. Also known as Mother Mary or Virgin Mary, the fourth-century monastery overlooks lush Altindere Valley from its 300-meter (984-feet) perch on the side of Mount Karadag, where it is carved into the rock. The monastery, which is included in UNESCO's temporary list of World Heritage sites, was reopened for religious practice on Aug. 15, 2010, with permission from the Culture and Tourism Ministry, following decades-long hiatus. The world-famous Sumela Monastery, one of Türkiye’s important religious tourism sites, was closed to visitors in September 2015 due to the risk of rockfall. The restoration of the monastery complex began in February 2016 and was completed after landscaping, geological and geotechnical research, and strengthening of the rocks. The ancient building reopened on July 1, 2021, and was temporarily closed on Nov. 1 the same year due to the risk of rockfall. It was opened again in May last year.