METEORA - Suspended Monasteries (1996)

Conspicuous in more than one sense, the monastic settlements on the Meteora perch upon huge and precipious rocks that rise abruptly from the north-western edge of the Thessalian plain where it meets the foothills of the massive Pindos mountain range. Men contemptuous of the world became hermits on these weird vast rocks and here they found spiritual tranquility in prayer and endured the extreme deprivations of the anchorite.

The monastic community that came into being in this impressive rocky landsacpe is unique in the world. This complex of colossal rocks emerged from the delta region of a great river which flowed for thousand of years into the narrow but deep sector of the sea that then covered the whole of what is today the plain of Thessaly. It was here that many anchorites chose to settle, on the summits of the soaring rocks half way between earth and sky, seeking to live close to God for the remainder of their years while turning their backs upon mundane things and devoting themselves to prayer and spiritual contemplation.

According to tradition, the first hermits to seek solitude among these immense outcrops of rock settled on the Meteora long before the 10th century of our era. They lived in caves and crevices in the rock face and contrived small oratories where where they dedicated themselves to prayer and to constant study of early Orthodox texts. The grandeur of the landscape and the security from raiders, robbers, and malefactors enjoyed by the monks on the barely accessible summits of those precipitious rocks led over the years to the creation of large community comprising many monasteries.

Today only six monasteries are still functioning: Metamorphosis, Barlaam, Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, Roussanou, Aghia Triada, and Saint Stephen's.

Sooo, how did the monks ascent to these pinnacles before the building of roads?

<--- Look at this picture on the left !

Monastery of Barlaam

Monastery of Saint Nicholas