The Monasteries of Meteora

Imagine huge, rounded pillars of stone jutting several hundred feet out of the surface of the earth. This is the otherworldly landscape of Meteora, so named because the ancient Greeks assumed that the stone towers were meteors hurled by angry gods.

Now imagine a monastery clinging to the precipitous peak of one of these towering stones. Meteora has six rock-capping monasteries, the extant remains of a collection that once numbered thirty. 

One of these architectural wonders was featured in the James Bond film, "For Your Eyes Only". It served as the villain's hideout in the final act of the story.

One of the monasteries, Saint Stephen's, is easy to visit. Just walk across a short bridge that connects the complex to the parking area. The rest of them, however, require some ambitious stair climbing. 

Despite heat in the mid-80's Fahrenheit, we managed to visit five of the six monasteries today. (The sixth was closed.) Two of the complexes are convents, today, and at least two are still functioning monasteries. They vary in size and in the amount of what can be seen, but each is uniquely interesting. Two of the monasteries, Saint Stephen's and The Great Meteora Monastery, feature stunning frescos that look as though they have been refurbished recently. The frescos in the smaller monasteries are faded and in disrepair. 

We paused for a break at the end of the afternoon and enjoyed crepes and ice cream in town. I then drove back up to the site to capture some memorable sunset photos. 

Copyright © 2014 Daniel R. South 
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