Meteora: the eighth wonder of the world is in Greece

Meteora are Christian monasteries built on gigantic, steep cliffs, majestically reaching towards the sky, as if a gift to the monks striving to get closer to God. How the hermits managed to construct such buildings at such heights remains a mystery to this day. It is said that it took twenty years just to lift the stones needed to build a single monastery onto the cliffs.

History

60 million years ago, this part of Greece was the bottom of the ocean. Then the water began to recede, gradually washing away sand and other sediments from the harder rocks, and eventually several dozen giant stone "fingers" 300 to 500 meters high were left standing over the flowering Thessaly Valley.

When invasions of Greece by crusaders and invaders from neighboring countries began in the XIII century, the steep cliffs of Meteora became a reliable protection for the monks. In 1334, the monk Athanasius (Meteora) founded the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord or "Great Meteora" on a 613-meter-high rock, which became the main and most famous building of the complex. He named the rock, which served as his home, Meteora, i.e. "floating in the air". Soon the whole area was called Meteora, meaning "floating in the air".

By the 16th century there were already more than twenty monasteries in Meteora. But a century later, the monastic movement began to decline, and today there are only four active male monasteries: Transfiguration of the Lord, Varlaam, St. Nicholas Anapavsas, Holy Trinity, and two female monasteries: St. Barbara ("Rusanu"), St. Stephen. The others have either turned into ruins or have completely disappeared.

Individual visit

It is quite difficult to find useful information on the Internet for independent travel (without a tour group and guide). There is a description, a schedule for tourists to visit each of the monasteries, the cost of entrance tickets and, perhaps, everything. But the locals can tell the smallest details, and in the hotel will give you a map and explain in plain English how to get there. No matter in which village near Meteora you are staying - Kalambaka or Kastraki - every hotel owner is interested in keeping his client satisfied, so he will provide you with all the necessary information. There is only one route up from the villages, and the monasteries are reached by a good paved road and stone steps, making them accessible to people of all ages.

If you have only a day at your disposal, I advise you not to even try to visit all the monasteries, but rather opt for two or three. It will be enough to wander around the courtyards, familiarize yourself with the life of ancient monks, presented in the expositions, visit museum rooms and shops with souvenirs. Buy bracelets, icons, handmade crosses. To merge with the sky, to stand still looking down and admire the view of the plain below, to be penetrated by the spirit of brave people who risked to build such structures on steep cliffs. To take memorable pictures, making Meteora a place in your heart forever.

Short Description. Recommended monasteries to visit

The monastery-museum of St. Stephen (XIV c.) is the richest among the others, situated on a beautiful cliff overlooking the town of Kalambaka. A steep gorge separates the summit from the main mountain. The only accessible entrance is an 8 meter long suspension bridge. Iconography is taught here and an exhibition of monastery relics is open.

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The Great Meteora Monastery is the largest and highest of Meteora's monasteries. In the past, a wicker staircase was used for the entrance. In 1922, 115 steep steps were cut through the rock, but for the lifting of provisions is still used net-bag, which is lifted on a winch with a simple mechanism, designed for the strength of only 2 people.

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is the most ascetic and difficult to reach of all. A lone pillar surrounded by a roundel of stone giants, a chasm separates it from the neighboring rocks. The construction of the hermitage, according to the chronicles, took 18 years, and the lifting of materials for it - as much as 70! From the access "pocket" on the road to the entrance to the monastery stretches a cable with an old and terrible-looking cabin - something resembling a funicular serves as the only crossing. No photograph can capture the feeling of standing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Holy Trinity Monastery.

Keep in mind that Meteora's monasteries are active, so there are some restrictions. For example, men in shorts above the knees and women in pants and short skirts are not allowed in. However, even if you forget about it, long skirts and headscarves will be given to everyone at the entrance to the monastery.

The fantastic landscape of Thessaly is one of the most breathtaking places in the world. And the monasteries of Meteora are the most striking attraction in Greece. I have no doubt that it is about them that the saying "it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times" was coined.

It is more convenient to get to Meteora via Thessaloniki.