The Hagia Sophia of Trabzon is a jewel of late Byzantine art, built in the thirteenth century by Manuel I, one of the emperors of Trebizond, on a low rise overlooking the Black Sea just west of the modern centre. Far smaller than its famous namesake in Istanbul, it makes up for size with the quality of its decoration: the interior and porches preserve some of the finest medieval frescoes in all Anatolia, vivid scenes from the Gospels rendered by masters who blended Byzantine tradition with Eastern influences. A separate bell tower stands nearby. After the Ottoman conquest the church became a mosque, served for a time in the twentieth century as a museum, and has since returned to use as a working mosque, so some of the frescoes are now screened during prayers. The setting, with lawns running down toward the sea, makes it a peaceful stop away from the traffic of the city centre.
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