Meteora

Meteora

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Area：Central Greece genre： church／monastery View Point

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church／monastery View Point

Monasteries on the natural beauty

Meteora is UNESCO-listed rock-tower monasteries. The huge natural rock towers are home to cliff-top monasteries built by Eastern Orthodox hermit monks in the 14th century. The monks settled in the area from the 9th century and began by living in the caves and fissures of the rocks. They built the inaccessible monasteries - 6 of 20 survive - to fend off Turkish invaders. The meaning of the ward "Meteora" is "floating in the air", "the heavens above" in greek.

photo by cavorite

The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron

It is the largest of the monasteries of the six. It built in the 14th century. The building serves as the main museum for tourists now.

photo by Carlos Pinto 73

The Holy Monastery of Varlaam

It is the second largest monastery. It built in 1541 and embellished in 1548. A church, dedicated to All Saints, is in the Athonite type with spacious exonarthex is surrounded by a dome.

Agios Nikolaos Monastery

The monastery is dedicated to three saints, Agios Panteleimon, Zoodoxos Pighi which means life giving source in Greek and Agios Nikolaos.

The Holy Monastery of Rousanou

It was founded in the middle of 16th century and decorated in 1560. It is dedicated to ‘The Transfiguration’ but honoured to Saint Barbara.

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity

is on top of the cliffs. It was built in 1475-76. It is very difficult to reach. The visitor has to cross the valley and continue high up through the rock before we arrive outside the entrance.

photo by Stephan A.

The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen

It is a small church built in the 16th century and decorated in 1545. This monastery rests on the plain rather than on a cliff. It was shelled by the Nazis during World War II who believed it was harboring insurgents and was abandoned.