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brahbruz t1_jac82qk wrote

Reply to comment by reize in Sumela monastery, Trabzon, Turkiye by Drunkcodes

Disclaimer: I don't know crap about Türkish spirituality (Türkiyesh? Not sure with the new name).

Monasteries and cathedrals are usually built to be impressive as a show of devotion or to invoke awe deliberately. The challenge of building there was probably part of the reason it was even done.

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meelawsh t1_jadr5d5 wrote

It was built by the Byzantines. Locations like these were picked because of increasing raids by foreign armies or local bandits. See: Meteora in Greece

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iavicenna t1_jacf72b wrote

well if this was the aim, they have been successful

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Stroomschok t1_jad57al wrote

Nah, it's because you've got a bunch of pretty weak-ass monks hiding in a monastery, often quite loaded with expensive artifacts.

Building a stone fuck-you fortress on a steep fuck-siege-weapons mountainside meant all you needed to keep invaders out was not open the door, no fighting required.

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