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Photo: Macukali, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 752 AD, Saint George Peristereota Monastery is now just a few walls teetering on a crag, with cliffs and other pitfalls around: don't come in the fog and drizzle. From Esiroğlu on D885 follow the winding lane towards Şimşirli, but the final rough trail starts 2 km before the village.
Kuştul Monastery was a Greek Orthodox monastery, located near Şimşirli village, Maçka district, Trabzon Province, Turkey. The native name is sometimes also shortened to Peristera. Founded in 752, it was in use until the Greek genocide and the Greco-Turkish population exchange after 1922.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
A spectacular monastery hewn into a cliff. It was founded in the fourth century, with its heyday in Byzantine and early Ottoman times. It's been ruined and rebuilt several times, but fell derelict after its Greeks were deported. Many frescoes and mosaics have been vandalised, but more have been found in hidden chambers. Try to dodge the tour groups: from the parking lot you take a minibus shuttle up to the site, paying for both.
Founded in 270 AD as one of the first-ever Christian monasteries, now ruined and unsafe. Take the road off D885 towards Köprüyanı, then the track branching uphill from the first hairpin bend - this is only suitable for high-clearance 4WD, it's safer to hike the last 2 km.
Atatürk Köşkü
The summer home of banker Konstantin Kabayanidis, built late 19th century. He left during the post-war population exchanges and from 1924 Atatürk stayed here on several occasions. It's been furnished to period with his memorabilia.
Peaceful colourful park above the city.
Built around the 12th / 13th century as St Akindynos Church, and converted into a mosque after the conquest of 1461. It's still in use.
Monastery of the All-Saviour, Ամենափրկիչ Վանք
The Armenian Monastery of the All-Saviour is on a hill southeast of town. Its foundation date was maybe 1424 AD, over an earlier Greek church. Armenians who had survived the modern massacres left after 1923 and the place fell derelict - the walls and bell tower have gone. The church contains frescoes and has been re-roofed but you're unlikely to find it open.