On Turkey's lush Black Sea coast, the city of Trabzon stands as a compelling example of how centuries of different empires and distinct eras leave their clear marks on a single place. From its ancient roots as Greek Trebizond and its crucial role as a late Byzantine imperial centre with its own remarkable Hagia Sophia church, to its significance in the early Turkish Republic as a favoured retreat of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and its continuing importance today as a bustling regional port, Trabzon is a city where layers of history are not just buried, but are often visibly intertwined.

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For us, Ola and Riza, exploring Trabzon was like turning the pages of a complex historical book, where each chapter revealed a different facet of its long and varied life. It's a place that invites you to look closely, to connect the dots between a 13th-century Christian church, an early 20th-century presidential villa, and the lively energy of a modern Black Sea hub. This exploration delves into some of Trabzon's key historical layers, revealing how these different periods contribute to its unique character today.

Echoes of an empire by the sea: Byzantine trebizond & its Hagia Sophia

Long before the Ottomans, and even during their rise, Trabzon – then known as Trebizond – held a special significance. Originally an ancient Greek colony, it became a prominent city within the Byzantine Empire (the Eastern Roman Empire). After the Fourth Crusade dealt a severe blow to Constantinople in 1204 (when Western European Crusaders captured and looted the Byzantine capital), Trebizond became the capital of its own independent Byzantine successor state, the Empire of Trebizond. This empire endured for over 250 years until it was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1461. This period saw a flourishing of art and culture in Trebizond.

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The most magnificent surviving testament to this Byzantine-era glory is the Trabzon Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Müzesi/Camii). Not to be confused with its much larger namesake in Istanbul, this beautiful 13th-century church stands on a gentle rise overlooking the Black Sea. Built when Trebizond was the capital of its independent empire, its architecture showcases a distinct late Byzantine style, with fine stone masonry, a central dome, and, crucially, remarkable surviving frescoes (wall paintings) and stone carvings. The exterior is adorned with intricate friezes (decorative horizontal bands) depicting biblical scenes, while inside (depending on current restoration and accessibility), fragments of vibrant frescoes offer a glimpse into the rich Orthodox Christian artistic tradition that once flourished here. Like many Byzantine churches in lands later ruled by the Ottomans, it was converted into a mosque after the conquest, and its status in recent years (museum/mosque) has sometimes been a subject of discussion, reflecting the complex ways historical religious sites are managed today.

A nation's founder by the Black Sea: Atatürk köşkü

Jumping forward several centuries, another important layer of Trabzon's history is connected to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Turkish Republic. Atatürk visited Trabzon on several occasions, and a beautiful early 20th-century villa, situated on a hillside overlooking the city and the sea, was gifted to him and became his retreat in the region. Today, this villa is preserved as the Atatürk Köşkü (Atatürk's Mansion/Pavilion), a museum dedicated to his memory and his time in Trabzon.

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The villa itself, built originally for a wealthy Greek banking family around the beginning of the 20th century, is an elegant example of European-influenced architecture of that period, with its white facade, lush gardens, and period furnishings. Visiting the Atatürk Köşkü offers insights into the aesthetics and lifestyle of the early Republican era (after the Ottoman Empire ended in 1922 and Turkey became a republic in 1923). It contains many of Atatürk's personal belongings, photographs from his visits, and rooms preserved as they were when he stayed there. It’s a place that reflects a pivotal period of modernisation and nation-building in Turkey, and Atatürk's personal connection to this important Black Sea city.

The living port: Trabzon today

Beyond these specific historical sites, Trabzon is a lively, bustling modern city, the largest port and a major commercial and cultural centre for Turkey's eastern Black Sea region. Its Meydan (central square) area is the heart of contemporary city life, with shops, restaurants, and the constant movement of people. The harbour itself, which has been vital to the city's existence for thousands of years, remains a key feature, though modern container ships and fishing boats have replaced the sailing vessels of Byzantine and early Ottoman times. Walking through the city, one can sometimes spot remnants of old city walls or historic buildings that hint at its earlier Ottoman and even Genoese periods (as we explored in a previous article, Italian traders from Genoa also had a trading presence in Trebizond). This blend of the very old with the very new is characteristic of many ancient port cities that have seen continuous habitation and adaptation over centuries.

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Trabzon's story is one of remarkable continuity and transformation. From a powerful Byzantine outpost guarding the Black Sea routes, to an important Ottoman provincial capital, a place of significance in the early Turkish Republic, and now a dynamic modern regional hub, it has always been defined by its strategic location and its connection to the wider world. Exploring its different historical layers offers a fascinating glimpse into the many chapters of this enduring Black Sea port, revealing a city that truly is a tapestry woven from threads of different eras.