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Monasteries dating back as far as 1356 sit perched on rocky monoliths that tower high above the haze in the valley below. Ancient cave dwellings, continuously inhabited for over 50,000 years, remain carved in to vertical cliff-sides as if in testament to the endurance of man. It’s no wonder that monastics seeking spiritual enlightenment and those searching for untouched isolation in this breathtaking setting have done so for millennia. It has a serene, otherworldly atmosphere that can make one forget that they are in fact in Central Greece. This is Meteora; a site of religious reflection for the Christian Orthodox and an unearthly and inspirational landscape that must be seen to be believed.

The History of Meteora

Best known for its monasteries which ‘float in the air’ (that, apparently is the translation of Meteora), the famous Greek UNESCO World Heritage Site is comprised of numerous religious complexes built on spectacular rocky outcrops; some of which are over 300 meters high. The rock-strewn landscape emerged approximately 25 million years ago as a result of tectonic movement. Subsequent weathering created cave-like openings in the rock-face, which became a shelter for hermits seeking spiritual isolation. Most amazing is that the early hermits who made dwellings in the cliff-face, and then subsequently the monks and nuns who founded monasteries on the rocky pillars, accessed the remote and isolated spaces by means of perilously dangerous systems of ropes and ladders.

While Meteora’s monasteries can be traced to the early 14th century, the monastic importance of the site can be traced further back to the 11th century when monks first settled there. In the 16th century, the height of Monastic activity in Meteora, there were 24 monasteries elevated high amongst the rock formations; established to serve both monks and nuns following the Eastern Orthodox Church. But this expansion did not last, and by the mid-17th century the monastic community sheltered in Meteora’s monasteries slowly began to decline. Over the course of the subsequent two centuries the majority of the Monasteries and hermitages fell into ruin; largely a result of their abandonment by the monastic community but also, in part, a result of Ottoman destruction.

In the 20th century, arriving monks began to repopulate those few remaining monasteries and Meteora has now been reestablished as the most important grouping of Monasteries after Mount Athos. Aside from the active six monasteries, a number of smaller, long-abandoned, monasteries and hermitages have also been restored but remain uninhabited - In fairness, living amongst a plethora of tour buses isn’t exactly going to be the first choice of your average monastic hermit!

Regardless of religion, Meteora and its monasteries are a spectacular place to visit and somewhere that shouldn’t be missed if you’re planning to visit Greece.