Thessaly Valley was the bottom of an ancient
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 7:12 am
Near the Greek city of Kalambaka is the unique monastery complex of Meteora. It is located in the mountains of Thessaly and its monasteries are built on the tops of hard-to-reach cliffs over 600 meters high. From ancient Greek, the word meteor is translated as "floating in the air", "heavenly", which fully corresponds to the location of the Meteora monasteries.
Millions of years ago, the sea, now it is an amazing geological formation and one of the most famous attractions in Greece.
meteors photo
The Meteora monastery complex consists of 24 monasteries, but only six of them are currently active. In an effort to be closer to God, the first hermit monks settled in the rock caves special database in the 9th century. Over time, when their number began to increase, the first two sketes were built - Stadzhi and Dupiani, which laid the foundation for the entire centuries-old Meteora complex.
meteors photo
The most famous is the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, or Great Meteor, founded in 1334 by the monk Athanasius of Meteora, which became the main monastery of the entire complex. It was built on a rock 613 meters high. It is believed that the monk Athanasius, who came from Mount Athos, became the founder of the entire monastic state of Meteora. This amazing impregnable monastic monastery became a reliable shelter from the Crusader invasion of Greece in the 13th century, protecting the monks from robbers and bandits.
meteors photo
Until the beginning of the 20th century, there was no road leading to the monasteries. To climb up, the monks used rope ladders, and for food and building materials, they lowered baskets tied to ropes.
Millions of years ago, the sea, now it is an amazing geological formation and one of the most famous attractions in Greece.
meteors photo
The Meteora monastery complex consists of 24 monasteries, but only six of them are currently active. In an effort to be closer to God, the first hermit monks settled in the rock caves special database in the 9th century. Over time, when their number began to increase, the first two sketes were built - Stadzhi and Dupiani, which laid the foundation for the entire centuries-old Meteora complex.
meteors photo
The most famous is the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, or Great Meteor, founded in 1334 by the monk Athanasius of Meteora, which became the main monastery of the entire complex. It was built on a rock 613 meters high. It is believed that the monk Athanasius, who came from Mount Athos, became the founder of the entire monastic state of Meteora. This amazing impregnable monastic monastery became a reliable shelter from the Crusader invasion of Greece in the 13th century, protecting the monks from robbers and bandits.
meteors photo
Until the beginning of the 20th century, there was no road leading to the monasteries. To climb up, the monks used rope ladders, and for food and building materials, they lowered baskets tied to ropes.