Metéora
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What is Metéora in Greece?
Meteora is a group of monasteries atop vertical rock formations in Thessaly, Greece, north of Kalambáka, and east of the Pindus Mountains. The name Meteora refers to the Greek term for "suspended in the air." The sandstone megaliths on which the monasteries were constructed average 1,000 feet in height, with some reaching 1,800 feet. These rock masses formed approximately 60 million years ago and were sculpted over time by earthquakes, rain, and wind.
Religious life in the region dates to around 1000 CE, with the establishment of hermit dwellings. The first monastery was erected in the 14th century by Athanasios Koinovitis, a monk from Mount Athos, who built the Great Metéoron. Though 24 monasteries were built, only 6 remain today: Great Metéoron, Varlaám, Roussanou, St. Nikolas, Holy Trinity, and St. Stephen.
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Why are monasteries built on top of the Metéora rock pillars?
The monasteries of Metéora are built on top of rock formations that average 1,000 feet (300 meters) in height, with some reaching 1,800 feet (550 meters). These sandstone megaliths were formed around 60 million years ago and sculpted by earthquakes, wind and rain.
Though there were once 24 monasteries, only 6 remain today. The first monastery was erected in the 14th century by Athanasios Koinovitis, a monk from Mount Athos, who sought religious privileges granted by the Serbian king controlling Thessaly at the time. During Ottoman rule (1453–1832), the monasteries served as asylums for persecuted Greeks and independence-seeking rebels. These monasteries offered monks a secluded place for prayer and reflection, following a long tradition of Eastern Christian monasticism that valued both solitary and communal spiritual practices.
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When were the first Metéora monasteries built?
Religious life in the Metéora region can be traced to around 1000 CE, when hermits inhabited the rock mounds. These ascetics later formed the Doúpiani monastery, with the chapel of the Holy Virgin, likely built in the 12th century, at the base of the Doúpiani pillar. The first monastery built on a summit dates back to the 14th century when Athanasios Koinovitis, a monk from Mount Athos, built the first structures of the Great Metéoron. In 1388, the king’s son and hermit Ioasaf, a pupil of Athanasios, enlarged the Metéoron, making it the wealthiest and most prominent monastery in the area.
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How did monks and nuns reach the monasteries in Metéora in the past?
Before the 1920s, monks and nuns reached the monasteries of Metéora by climbing ladders or being hauled up by ropes and nets, a perilous undertaking. In the 1960s, paved roads were constructed in the area. The monasteries are now accessible via bridges and stairs carved into the rocks.
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What is special about the architecture of the Metéora monasteries?
The Metéora monasteries are known for their unique construction on top of sandstone megaliths that average 1,000 feet in height. These rock masses, formed approximately 60 million years ago, were sculpted by earthquakes, wind, and rain. During Ottoman rule (1453–1832), the monasteries served as sanctuaries for Greeks and rebels seeking independence. The frescoes decorating the walls represent a significant period in post-Byzantine art. Today, only 6 of the original 24 monasteries remain, and they are accessible via bridges and stairs carved into the rocks. Conservation efforts have been underway since 1972.
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Why are the Metéora monasteries considered an important UNESCO World Heritage Site?
The Metéora monasteries are an important UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their unique construction on sandstone megaliths averaging 1,000 feet high. Rising above the Thessalian plain, the rock masses were sculpted by earthquakes, rain, and wind over 60 million years. Religious life began around 1000 CE, with monasteries erected from the 14th century onward. During Ottoman rule (1453–1832), they offered asylum to persecuted Greeks. The frescoes in the structures mark an important stage in post-Byzantine art. In 1988, the monasteries and landscape were added to the UNESCO list.
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Metéora, group of monasteries on the summits of vertical rock formations in Thessaly (Modern Greek: Thessalía), Greece. The monasteries are located just north of the small town of Kalambáka, south of the village of Kastraki, and east of the Pindus (Píndos) Mountains in the valley of the Pineiós River. The name was derived from a Greek contraction meaning “suspended in the air.” Rising high above the Thessalian plain, the sandstone megaliths on which the monasteries were built average 1,000 feet (300 metres) in height, with several reaching 1,800 feet (550 metres). The rock masses were formed some 60 million years ago, their distinctive and varied shapes sculpted over time by earthquakes, rain, and wind.
Religious life in this region can be traced from about 1000 ce, when hermit dwellings were established in the lesser peaks of the rock mounds. The ascetics eventually joined to establish the Doúpiani monastery. At the base of the rock formation known as the pillar of Doúpiani is the chapel of the Holy Virgin, probably built in the 12th century. The first monastery erected on a summit dates from the 14th century, when Athanasios Koinovitis, a monk from Mount Athos, ascended the plathy lithos (“broad rock”) and built the first structures of the Great Metéoron. The Serbian king then in control of Thessaly granted the monastery religious privileges. In 1388 the king’s son and the hermit Ioasaf, a pupil of Athanasios, enlarged the Metéoron, making it the wealthiest and most prominent monastery in the area. In the period of Ottoman rule over Greece (1453–1832), the sultans left the Orthodox religion intact, and the monastic communities at Metéora thrived; several more monasteries were erected in the 15th and 16th centuries. During the last hundred years of Turkish occupation, these monasteries offered asylum to persecuted Greeks and independence-seeking rebels. The frescoes adorning the walls of the structures mark an important stage in post-Byzantine art.
Although 24 monasteries were built, each containing a church or two, monks’ cells, and a refectory, only 6 remain: Great Metéoron, Varlaám (also called All Saints [Áyioi Pándes]), Roussanou, St. Nikolas (Áyios Nikolaos), Holy Trinity (Áyia Triada), and St. Stephen (Áyios Stéfanos). Some still serve a religious function, though they are now only sparsely populated by monks and nuns. Since the construction of paved roads through the area in the 1960s, it has been visited annually by thousands of tourists and Orthodox pilgrims. The monasteries are accessible by bridges and stairs cut into the rocks, although before the 1920s ascending the rock columns involved the perilous enterprise of climbing ladders or being hauled up by ropes and nets. Conservation efforts have been ongoing since 1972 to counter overall decay and the destruction incurred during World War II, when the area was bombed. Ongoing threats to the structures include vibrations caused by low-flying aircraft and damage relating to the area’s frequent tremors and earthquakes.
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Vegetation in the surrounding region is typified by pine and beech forests. Riverine zones provide refuge for gray wolves and otters, among other mammals, and the high cliffs are well-known habitats for the endangered Egyptian vulture and honey buzzard, as well as several species of eagle and falcon. In 1988 the monasteries and their evocative landscape were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.