The historical Sin Monastery, known as the “Sumela of the Taurus Mountains”, in the Kozan district of Adana, is waiting to be discovered. Çukurova University Kozan Vocational School History Department Lecturer Abdurrahman Kütük said, “It may belong to a place where monks were secluded, or to the period of illegal churches built on mountain slopes and caves during the Roman period, close to the 2nd century AD, when Christianity was banned. Those who come have to be careful” he said.
Sina Monastery, located in the Velicanlı Mahallesi Sinağzı locality of Kozan district, resembles an eagle’s nest built on steep cliffs. The monastery is located on the eastern side of the Göksu River, one of the main branches of the Seyhan River. Since the monastery was built in the hollow of the mountain, it is very difficult to notice from afar. It is recorded that the front of the rock cavity was covered with cut and rubble stone and Khorasan mortar, and a 5-storey structure was created in this way. The people living in the region want the monastery, which they call the Sumela of the Taurus Mountains, to be brought into tourism.
“A HIDDEN BUILDING”
Çukurova University Kozan Vocational School History Department Lecturer Abdurrahman Kütük stated that the monastery was built in a secret place away from people and said, “The 5-storey Sin Monastery is located on the east side of the Göksu River, one of the main branches of the Seyhan River. This is a place built on steep cliffs, where it is very difficult for people to come and go. The interior of the Sin Monastery has 5 floors made of wood partitions. A water cistern was built on the ground floor of this place to meet the water needs. There is no detailed information about its history. Because it doesn’t have any inscriptions. It is very difficult to make a definite judgment about it. The monastery, which is a Christian structure, probably has a church that was built in a secret place in the mountains during the Roman period when the monks were in seclusion or the religion of Christianity was banned. There is a chapel inside for a little worship and a kitchen part.”
“IT IS A MONASTERY BUILT FOR DEDICATION TO GOD”
Noting that the hollow part of the monastery on the mountainside was covered with cut stones and its architecture resembles the Sumela Monastery, Kütük said, ”A structure was created with wooden masonry on top of each other. In fact, it is a narrow place, very far from human life. Thus, seclusion appears as a monastery built for devotion to God. It is very difficult and dangerous for people to reach here. Visitors must be very careful. We think that this place was probably built during the Roman period. It is a place where monks were secluded or when Christianity was banned in the Roman period, there were secret churches built on mountain slopes and caves, It may belong to a period close to the 2nd century A.D. Because this place is very difficult to reach and discover. “We made a very risky transition” he said.
DESTROYED
Stating that the woods in the monastery were burned, Kütük said:
”It was created by the destruction of people. Perhaps, if there would not be destruction, the wood structures of these floors would have been visible stretching across. Human damage is too great. Although the region is so steep and far from human life, we can see that there is destruction. This fire may have been caused by a lightning strike. However, it could leave a soot stain on the wall. It is possible, but the fact that the trees are burned and there are no burn marks on the walls does not give us this idea.” (Milliyet)
