The Grand Master, Pince Juan Arcadio and Princess María Isabel Lascaris Comnenus
Madrid, Spain; February, 2000

TREBIZOND
IN  THE
TWENTIETH  CENTURY

By:

H. I. and R. H.
Prince Juan Arcadio Lascaris Comnenus
_________

INTRODUCTION

With only a few years left in this Century, I want to make known an actual view of how during the many centuries the peoples of Hellenic blood inhabiting these lands developed their works which are still preserved.

I believe that in the West there is still little known about the history of a race that has suffered countless changes. It is a race that at times went unsupported by others who should have lent their help as a matter of obligation, especially for reasons of culture and religion.

Later, although it might only be by alluding to certain points, I believe you will understand my disclosure.

It is known by most that Anatolia or Asia Minor has always been a crossroads of many peoples and a location of struggle of the races. Trebizond, this unique city, is situated at its farthest northeastern part.

Actually, although an increasing number of Western tourists each day visit this part next to Asia, there has been little promotion of the many beauties found on the peninsula.

One visits the city of Constantinople (Istanbul for the Turks, although the majority of them know that it is a word of Greek origin that means "This is the City;" that is to say, the most important city of all); and usually arrives at the end of the Bosporus to glimpse the Pontus Euxinus or the Black Sea; and afterwards the many places of the Aegean Sea like Smyrna, Ephesus and other cities or towns with their magnificent Hellenic and Byzantine remains; Cappadocia with multiple Byzantine churches excavated in the rocks; and then, others dare to go to the sacred mount Ararat (for the Armenians) which separates the Russians, Turks and Persians. But there exist other beautiful lands filled with valleys, mountains, cliffs, ports and beaches. I am going to refer specifically to one of these regions; the one that is known historically as Trebizond and that the Turks call Trabzon, happily not very modified and thus easily recognizable.

It is curious to observe the promotion of tourism launched in the last years. The organizations and state organisms have had to recognize that in order to integrate their efforts there was no choice but to include in first place the beautiful ruins of the Hellenic, Roman and Byzantine civilizations that are so abundantly found throughout these sites. Previously they didn’t want to mention that they even existed. However, in view of their lack of art, with the exception of a scarce Ottoman contribution, they have no choice but to include them; especially since they serve as constant attractions and not occasional ones.

GEOGRAPHY

Today the city of Trebizond is the capital of the province of like name and an important port of Pontus, well known for its historic antecedents, situation, buildings and natural beauty.

It is bordered in the west by Kerasonte-Pharnacia (actually Giresum), to the east by Phisaion (Rize), to the south by Argyropolis (Gumushane) and to the north by the Black Sea.

Trebizond is a place where diverse shades of green can be seen everywhere. In the north, are great mountains and hills with narrow valleys, some of which reach the sea to form a steep headland.

Due to the hot and rainy climate, the land is covered with rich vegetation. The numerous forests filled with oak, chestnut, alder, boxwood, linden and pine, go up to 2,400 meters above sea level where great tablelands are formed. The region possesses abundant current that causes waterfalls and violent rivulet with steep riverbeds, descending from the height of the mountains to the coast.

We note that due to the dominance of the sea the climate is Mediterranean. The summers are very hot and the winters are moderate and rainy.

Some of the products are wheat, hazelnut, limes, mandarins, olives and tea. Due to the extension of the pastures, there is good cattle raising and excellent production of butter.

The total area is 4,625 square kilometers and the population, according the latest statistics, is 662,412 inhabitants of whom 104,803 reside in the capital.

To emphasize my affirmations further, I will say that the most important populations are Akcaabat, Vakfikebir - formerly called Fol - Surmene, Arakli, Of, Macka - a place in the mountains of Zigana with a large population of Greeks in the past and a great number of churches - Caykara, Arsin, Yorma and Tonya, and its rivers have the names Ikizdere, Degirmende, Kuzgundere, Fol Deresi and Zaganos Deresi.

Of all the previously mentioned names, it is easy to detect that they are of Asian origin, not derivatives or even similar to Greek names. I will show that even the very name of Trebizond, by calling it Trabzon - according to a Turkish publication I read recently - they try to show it derives from so many things, sometimes from Arab origin and other times from Turkish origin. It’s derivation has for some time been well known and its origin is without a doubt from the word "Trapezus." The historian Strabo had already called the city "Trapesus."

CHURCHES OF THE AREA

I am going to give a succinct account of the principal Byzantine monuments that are actually still preserved, some in better condition than others; and about the last churches constructed by the Greeks in the recent centuries prior to the forced abandonment in the beginning of the 20^th Century.

In the first place, I want to point out the overall principal designs that set them apart from others and which form characteristics unique to this region.

I will say that the lineaments and architectural ornamentations these churches have are different from the Byzantine churches of other regions. The churches of Trebizond and of the surrounding area have a different appearance due to their walls which are constructed from soft rock that is very well shaped. Their architectural and ornamental styles have a Caucasian influence due to proximity. They differ by having a single level or because of their five-pointed shape, that is to say like the five of a domino or a clover. The extension of the axis of the presbytery make them look more slender, and the angular exterior of the drums is a typical local characteristic. In proportion they are more elongated and wider than those that are pure Byzantine, but this irregularity is perfectly complete in the Trebizond churches.

We can divide them into three important groups; basilica without a dome, dome over four columns and dome over four walls.

We will start with the description of these works of art, including the one that we love the most, the church where our Patron Saint Eugene was buried.

The Church of Saint Eugene is located south of the city of Trebizond and the Turks call it Yeni Cuma Camisi because it is in the district with the same name. The church was dedicated to Saint Eugene whom Alexius Comnenus (1204-1222) declared holy protector, building it in the same place that he was buried after being martyred. The skull of Saint Eugene was covered with ornaments of gold and precious stones. We also know that the bones of the Saint were found in the front part of the church in a block of marble under the building. The fact is that all of it has disappeared and no one knows what has happened. Paintings have also disappeared. Fallmerayer affirms he saw them at the beginning of the 19^th Century as well as the portraits of the Emperors Alexius I Comnenus to Alexius III Comnenus.

The mosaic floor, just below the dome, which had a circular shape of three meters in diameter and twelve small circles was seen by Dr. Talbot Rice and was exposed during the Russian occupation but now is covered.

Constructed from white limestone, the floor plan is five-pointed with a dome supported by six columns. It underwent a lot of modifications and in actuality is very well preserved.

The church of Haghia Sophia (Saint Sophia) was constructed during the time of Emperor Manuel I (1238-1263) and constitutes one of the best examples of the Byzantine era. At first it was used as a monastery and it is located in the outskirts of Trebizond. It was constructed from rock, with a tall round drum, a dome, and with alcoves of distinctive angles. It is the most decorated church and the paintings are in good condition having been done in 1260. In the dome, there is Christ Pantokrator and among others the paintings of three popular coronations that some authors believe to be of Alexius IV (1417-1446), his son Alexandros and his sister-in-law. After the conquest of the city it was converted into a mosque. During the First World War it was used as a warehouse and military hospital and then once again as a mosque. In 1964 it was converted into a museum. Shortly afterwards it was restored by the University of Edinburgh and the Foundation.

The most important church in the city is found on one of the central streets and it was known as the Cathedral of the Comnenus and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The name is from the Virgin Panaghia Chrysocephalos which means "golden head," due to the golden halo of one of the statues. The building is in good condition. The first building was a Basilica with a vault to which was added a dome. It also was a monastery, and after it was converted into a mosque it underwent many changes.

The oldest church is that of Saint Anna. It is a very small church situated just opposite the central Post Office, with three naves and alcoves, constructed in the 7^th Century and restored by Basil I in 884-885. It is a very interesting and unique church.

We have also, within the city, the Church of Saint Andrew. It received its name because of the Holy Apostle who came and lived in a cave in the city, making Christianity popular. It was constructed in the 5^th and 6^th Centuries. The Church of Saint Philip was built by Anna Comnenus (1341-1342), daughter of the Emperor Alexius IV Comnenus. It has a dome of Caucasian style and was used as a church until 1665 when it was converted into a mosque and later, in 1968-69, it was expanded and restored. The Church of Saint John was constructed in 1306 by Theodora Tzanichites and Gregorios Kamachenos and in 1856 it was renovated by the Metropolitan Constantinos (1830-1879). Similar to Haghia Sophia and Saint Eugene, having been a military arsenal, it became and still is an elementary school. The church of Saint Eleftherios, constructed by the Genoese in the 15^th Century, has a Basilica form with three naves. After the conquest, services were held until 1923 when it was abandoned and used as a warehouse. In 1953 it was converted into a mosque.

Both typical and curious, we will cite the Churches of Saint Sabas, constructed on the rocks of the slopes of Boztepe to the south of the city. The Cappadocian priests had previously lived here in the year 451, and at the time of the Comnenus the churches were used as prisons. They are formed by three important groups and are very interesting. The walls were adorned with paintings, but today due to the humidity they are unrecognizable.

Lastly, we will talk about the only one in which actual services are allowed to be attended by foreigners who live in Trebizond. The church of Saint Mary was constructed between the years 1869 and 1874. There is the distinguished sacred scene painted by Tentula Giongiacomo in 1874. In his paintings, the image of Saint Eugene cannot go unnoticed. A group of Italians sent from Georgia by the Czar Nicolas I, hung a picture of the Virgin Mary in the alcove of the church.

Outside of the city we focus on the Church of Saint Michael situated 15km to the west of Trebizond and built by Manuel Comnenus to commemorate his victory against the Turks on the 30^th of August 1332. It was used as a dormitory until recent times.

In the town of Dirlik of Surmene is the Church of Panaghia Tzita which was used by the Metropolitan Gobrie Latrovdakis (1889-1893). It is a typical Byzantine Basilica with three naves and alcoves, and it presently carries out functions of a mosque.

We have a group of Churches of Santa, situated some 60km to the east of Trebizond. Long ago the Byzantines established colonies there that increased especially in the 17^th and 18^th Centuries. In the 19^th Century they developed more rapidly and they came to possess important Greek schools, especially due to the dedication and support of Archbishop of Rodopolis. Many Orthodox churches were constructed from 1860 to 1870, such as the Church of Saint Christopher in Pistofli, Saint Kyriako in Ishanli, Ilias Peygamber in Binatli, Saint Constantine and Saint Peter in Cingalli, Saint Theodore in Trezilio and others in Zurnacil and Goballi. Today all are abandoned.

MONASTERIES OF THE AREA

There still exist remains of interesting monasteries in all of the region, generally built in the mountains overlooking the city or valley. Apart from their religious function, they were used as military bases due to their strategic position. They played an important part in the development of the cultural and economic life of the area. After the First World War and due to the persecutions, the Greeks had to abandon them and time has almost destroyed them.

The one that reached the most importance up until the first quarter of this century, is that of Sumela, the one called Monastery of the Virgin Mary. It was constructed in a cave at an altitude of 1,628 meters in the valley of Macka in the mountains of Zigana, 54km to the south of Trebizond.

There are legends about this monastery. That of greatest detail is how an icon of the Virgin Mary painted by the Evangelist Luke disappeared from Athens and was carried by angels to this cave where the monks Barnabas and Sofronios began construction. However, the icon has not been found.

The name of Sumela is derived from "melas," a Greek word that means black, gloomy, dark. The dark colors of the icon, the valleys and cliffs of the mountain are major factors that could affect this designation. It is known that black is utilized to give a mysterious aspect to the faces of Caucasian icons.

Above the exterior entrance there is an inscription of 1360 saying that the emperor was the founder of the monastery. In the 18^th Century it was reconstructed by the Voyvodas. In 1749 the Archbishop Ignatius adorned it with paintings. After the declaration of the Turkish republic, the Greeks that lived in the area fled to Greece, and the monastery was deserted. Being left abandoned the monastery was placed under the Museum of Trebizond in 1972 and was saved as a result of restoration.

When the monastery was closed many of its treasures were dispersed. The manuscripts are in various museums. Some of the Bibles are in the Museum of Ethnography of Ankara and one in the Benaki Museum of Athens.

Important paintings are preserved, especially the ones painted by Savas of Oineo and repaired by Matthaeos the Monk in 1732. Also we should highlight the paintings of the Emperors Alexius III, Manuel III and Andronicos with their uniforms, and the painting of the Virgin Mary in the cave sitting on a fabulous throne, whose eyes give the impression that they are looking at the viewers.

In this same area of Macka, at a distance of 14km, stands the Monastery of Vazelon. Very old, having already been repaired by the Emperor Justinian, in 644 it underwent another reconstruction. From the 8^th Century it had a great influence on the cultural, religious, and economic structures of all the region. The monastery was abandoned in 1923 and only few remains of the monastery can be seen, as it was greatly damaged.

Situated near the town of Kustul in Emiroghe and constructed on a mount that overlooks the valley is the Monastery Gregorius Peristera. Built in the year 752 and sacked in 1203. It gained great importance from 1393 and 1904 after which it was permanently abandoned. Excavations have revealed narrow corridors from the monastery to the valley but they are not in a workable condition.

In a valley near the town of Kiremitli, the Monastery of the Panaghia Keramesta was founded in 1858. It looks like a copy of the Monastery of Sumela. Only the walls on the west and the north, embedded in the rock, have survived until our time. The rest are demolished.

Closer to Trebizond, only 3km away and in the town of Kaymakli, the Monastery of Christ is found. During construction, one of the workers fell from the height of the mountain and was not injured. From that moment it was called "The Guardian". In the center of the patio there is a church constructed in 1431 and decorated with paintings in 1622. Burnt in the years 1914-1918, it was abandoned.

To the southeast of Trebizond, in the neighborhood of Buztepe, there are a large group of buildings that form the Monastery of the Panaghia Theoskepastos that means ‘protected by God’. It looks like a castle dominating the city. Constructed by the Emperor Alexius III (1349-1390), it is made up of various rooms, dining rooms, bell tower, guest house, fountain and two churches. Adjunctly, there are other churches and buildings that cannot be identified. One of the churches is embedded in the rock. The paintings of the narthex show the Emperor Alexius III. There is another church in the rear of the monastery that was constructed by Archbishop Konstantinos in the years 1830-1879. The Emperor Manuel and Andronikos, the sons of Emperor Alexius are represented in the Basilica. It was used until 1923 when it was abandoned.

Leaving the churches and monasteries, we find three aqueducts built by the Byzantines that have survived until today. One to the west of the walls built by the Emperor Justinian (527-565) and was dedicated to Saint Eugene. It has five parts, each 30 meters long and 7 meters high. Another to the east, constructed in the 13^th Century with two parts of 8 meters each and 6 meters in height. The third one at 4km is believed to have been constructed in the 12^th Century.

The walls of the city are fairly well preserved and extend from the sea through the hills that surround the city. They were all constructed by the Byzantines. They are divided into three parts: the acropolis, the middle and the lower, constructed by Alexius II.

Nothing of the theater that was located some 300 meters to the north of the wall can be found.

And we have set apart as a colophon of this group of monuments the fortress of Akcakale, situated 18 km west of Trebizond. It deserves this honor because it defended itself for seven years after the conquest of the capital. It was built by Alexius I (1297-1330) and was firmly situated atop a flat relief in the sea proper. Reconstructed by the Ottomans, it was a very important military base during the first years of the 20^th Century.

CONCLUSION

As you have seen I have covered all the monuments built by the Byzantines and the Greeks in the city of Trebizond and the outskirts. I have not, to this date, found any more.

I must acknowledge that in the city, besides those churches converted into mosques, there are twenty-five built for this purpose, 8 religious schools and other buildings of less importance. Like those of the city and like others of the localities of the region, I do not speak because they are of little value, other than as small artistic as well as historical exceptions recognized by the Ottoman publications themselves.

I am pleased to inform you that one of the best painters that painted Trebizond was J. Bordier in 1609; not forgetting to mention the more modern painters Preaux, J. Laurens, C.H. Texier and the Rouargues brothers.

If we speak of the 20^th Century we cannot overlook the Russian occupation during the First World War. It was invaded by Russian troops on the 14^th of April of 1916, but they were forced out due to the Brest-Litovsk Treaty that was signed on the 14^th of February of 1918.

Also the Allied states tried to establish a Greek state of Pontus, as was promised to the Hellenes for participating in the war; but due to their defeat in 1922 and other bogus interests, this attempt was prevented from being carried out. The Greeks continue with the publication of a Hellenic Encyclopedia of Pontus and the Turks have countered this by publishing their own Turkish encyclopedia.

Although the monuments I have described are not many, they are sufficient to show the brilliance and splendor of the Christian culture and the maintenance of the language and Hellenic race during the time of the Empire of the Great Comnenus and after their fall.

Unfortunately, Orthodoxy and Hellenism, suffered two terrible blows: the first was the conquering of the City on the 16th of August of 1461 when all of the churches were turned into mosques; the second, at the beginning of this 20th Century, were the horrible persecutions that included the deportation and extermination of Greeks, especially in Pontus where there existed many important colonies, almost wiping out the whole Greek population in that area. All of their works, churches, monasteries, schools, and houses, many of which were constructed in the 17th and 18th Centuries, were abandoned. Some have been transformed into mosques and the rest were left to be ruined with time.

Finally, we have to recognize that the Church of Saint Sophia has been reconstructed and fortunately converted into a museum; it seems that the Monastery of Sumela is also being turned into a museum. We hope that this trend will continue and that these unique monuments of Byzantine art can still be saved. This allows us to remember that Anatolia (Asia Minor) was one of the first regions evangelized by the Apostles and there existed a Byzantine empire, continuator of Hellenism through race and culture.

__________________________
English Translation by: Teri Gobles
Edited by: Mark Athanasios C. Karras, Ph.D.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤
 

SAINT EUGENE OF TREBIZOND
Contemporary icon painted by
Prince Juan Arcadio Lascaris Comnenus

__________________
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