The monasteries of Meteora
Driving up to the monasteries of Meteora, it is almost like being on a
different planet. These high pillars of rock that seem to reach for the
sky in the otherwise flat landscape look like something out of science
fiction. And on top of them - the monasteries - old, magnificent and
Monasteries: The area of Meteora is said to have been sea once
upon a time. Sometime in the 11th century orthodox hermits started living in
caves in these high cliffs, far, far away from the rest of the world. They
slowly became organised since they met for mass once a week, and in the 14th
century the first constructions started and it is believed that one of the
reasons was that the monks and the people needed shelter from the Turkish
attacks that went on.
The Great Meteoron was built 1356-1372 and the man behind this project
was the monk Athanasios, who also set the rules for the monastic life.
When riches were added to it after a member of the Serbian royal family
became a monk here, the monastery got a leading role in Meteora. Other
active Monasteries of Meteora are the Monastry of Varlaam, the Monastery
of Rousanou, the Monastery of Agia Trias (Holly Trinity), the Monastery
of Agios Nikolaos and the Monastery of Agios Stephanos.
Meteora had its peak period in the 16th century, but then the
monasteries were slowly abandoned. Today there are six active
The fascinating landscape was used when filming the Bond film
"For Your Eyes Only". The hero and the bad guys climb the high
"stalagmites" and as a matter of fact, there are many people who
still do this through the mountaineering organisations of the
Very near to Meteora located the cave of Theopetra, 10 km
from Kalmbaka, the cave is one of the most important prehistoric
sites in Greece due to the fact that traces have been found
there before the Neolithic Age. The cave of Theopetra is unique
in Greece because it was first inhabited during the Middle
Palaeolithic Period and therefore it is important because it
demonstrates the transition from the Palaeolithic to the
Neolithic way of life in Greece. Among the findings are tools
from stone and several objects made from clay.
Meteora lies by the town Kalambaka, and there are buses that
come here from almost every part of Greece. There are also
daytrips offered from Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki, Athens and the
North Sporades. There are accommodations in Kastraki a wonderful
village near by.