The Orthodox Church has long been renowned for its choice of stunning locations for its sacred sites, and the monasteries of Meteora are no exception. Perched atop towering rock pillars, these monasteries were once accessible only by frayed ropes, highlighting both their isolation and their spiritual significance.
Even without being home to Greece’s second most important monastery complex, Meteora would still leave you in awe. Located in the foothills of the Pindus mountains, above the central Greek plains of Thessaly, you’ll find incredible geological formations rising from the ground. The name Meteora, meaning “suspended in the air” or “suspended rocks,” perfectly captures the scene. Wind, water, and extreme temperatures have shaped these towering sandstone pillars, some reaching hundreds of meters high.
Hermit monks first came to this area in the 11th century, but the monastery complex really started to thrive after the Ottoman conquest of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. Facing persecution and fearing the Ottomans, Orthodox monks looked for safety in the most remote places they could find. What better place to establish a monastery than in Meteora, which is sometimes called “the heavens above”?
Originally, getting to the monastery meant climbing a series of ladders tied together or being hauled up in a large net. The monks said the ropes were only replaced “when the Lord let them break.”
Nowadays, steps have been carved into the rock, and a bridge connects the site to a nearby plateau. At its peak, the complex had 20 monasteries, but only six remain today. Five are for men, and one is for women. Great Meteora is the largest and most popular with tourists. Roussanou, perched on a smaller rock, offers stunning photo opportunities of the Varlaam monastery and the Metamorfosis church.
