Greece Investment Immigration Listen to Greek stories: Since the 11th century, in a region almost entirely composed of sandstone peaks, monks chose these "pillars of the sky." During the great revival of eremitic thought in the 15th century, twenty-four monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties. The fresco art of the 16th century represents a foundational stage in the development of early Byzantine painting.
Meteora is located in the Thessaly region of northeastern Greece, separated from Epirus to the west by the towering mountains of Pindus. It is world-renowned for Mount Olympus, where the gods once resided, and the breathtaking Meteora monasteries.
Meteora means "suspended in the air" in Greek, which is precisely what makes the many monasteries of Meteora so unique. Millions of years ago, this area was a vast ocean; later, crustal movements and the erosion of seawater transformed it into a forest of stone.
The monasteries of Meteora are perched atop these towering rock summits. About 1,000 years ago, reclusive monks appeared here. They climbed the sky-high peaks using wooden ladders and ropes, living in natural caves to pray, chant, and repent. Even today, near the village of Kastraki, we can still find the ancient, dilapidated cells of 11th-century hermit monks preserved on the high, smooth cliff faces.
In the mid-11th century, the number of monks coming to Meteora for seclusion gradually increased, and Meteora became another important center for Greek Orthodoxy. Its first church was the Church of the Theotokos, and soon after, a monastery formed around it. In the mid-14th century, the famous monk Athanasios arrived here and built a new monastery on a high rock summit. Meteora—meaning "suspended in the air"—was the name he chose, and he was later canonized as a saint.
In the following centuries, Meteora became the most authoritative religious center in the Thessaly region. At its peak, it possessed twenty-four monasteries scattered across the mountains and hills, housing over a thousand monks, serving as a bulwark against the Islam that accompanied the Turkish occupation.
Because the only tools for connecting with the outside world were ropes, baskets, and pulleys, reaching this place was as difficult as ascending to heaven, so very few people were fortunate enough to arrive here. It was not until the 20th century that the construction of stone steps changed this situation.
The architecture of the holy mountain churches of Atlas is essentially Byzantine in style, with many adopting roughly the same layout. The most magnificent and architecturally impressive is the Great Meteoron Monastery, also known as the Monastery of the Transfiguration, at an altitude of 613 meters, and the church within the monastery is the essence of architectural excellence.
The cathedral is 24 meters high and 42 meters wide, with a twelve-sided dome, and all the upper windows have single panes of glass. Its unique creativity is primarily reflected in the cross-shaped foundation of the church, a layout that creates three apses; in addition to the traditional church apse, a hall for choir singers was added at both the north and south ends. The church walls are built with alternating layers of stone and brick. Inside the church, in addition to precious 15th-century frescoes, there are various exquisitely carved utensils, the most representative of which is the luxurious and delicately decorated abbot's throne inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Varlaam Monastery is named after its founder, the ascetic monk Varlaam, and is one of the most prestigious monasteries in Meteora. The monks here gained a growing reputation for engaging in arduous physical labor and practicing a strict ascetic life. Varlaam Monastery possessed an extraordinary workshop for printing and binding holy books, and also held many precious Orthodox icons, including ancient embroidered icons and hand-painted ones. Varlaam Monastery also preserves numerous handwritten biblical manuscripts, which are the pride of the monks here.