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thepastisalreadywritten · 7 months

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Meteora is an exquisite complex that consists of huge dark stone pillars rising outside Trikala, near the mountains of Pindos.

Monasteries that sit on top of these rocks make up the second most important monastic community in Greece, after Mount Athos in Halkidiki.

Out of the thirty monasteries that were founded throughout the centuries, only six of them are active today.

History of Meteora goes many millenniums back. In Greek, the name Meteora aptly translates to “suspended in air.”

Theories upon the creation of this natural phenomenon are associated with the geological movements that have occurred several geological periods ago.

Scientists believe that these pillars were formatted about 60 million years ago, during the Tertiary Period.

That time, the area was covered by sea but a series of earth movements caused the seabed to withdraw.

The mountains left were continuously hit by strong winds and waves, which, in combination with extreme weather conditions, affected their shape.

This is why the pillars are composed of sandstone and conglomerate.

In Byzantine times, monks had the inspiration to construct monasteries on top of these rocks so that they would be closer to god.

The foundation of Meteora monasteries began around the 11th century CE.

In the 12th century CE, the first ascetic state was officially formed and established a church to the Mother of God as their worshiping center.

Activities on this church were not only related to worshiping God, but hermits used these occasions to discuss their problems and exchange ideas relating to their ascetic life there.

In the 14th century CE, Saint Athanasios established the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of Jesus and named this huge rock Meteoro, which means ''hanged from nowhere.''

This monastery is also known as the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron, the largest of all monasteries.

For many centuries, the monks used scaffolds for climbing the rocks and getting supplies.

As years passed, this method was followed by the use of nets with hooks and rope ladders. Sometimes a basket was used, which was pulled up by the monks.

Wooden ladders of 40 meters long were also one of the essential tools for accessing the monasteries.

Between the 15th-17th century CE, Meteora was at its prime with the arrival of many monks from other monasteries or people who wanted to lead an ascetic life in this divine environment.

However, the prosperity of Meteora during that time started to fade away after the 17th century CE, mainly due to the raids of thieves and conquerors.

These caused many monasteries to be abandoned or destructed.

Today, only 6 monasteries operate with a handful of monks each. The only nunnery (female monastery) is the Monastery of Agios Stefanos.

Meteora was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 because of the outstanding architecture and beauty of the complex, in addition to its religious and artistic significance.

📷: credit to the owner (photo 1) / Christos Kapoulas (photos 2 and 3)

#Meteora #Trikala #Pindos #Greece #monasteries #pillars #Tertiary Period #church #Saint Athanasios #Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of Jesus #Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron #monks #nunnery #Monastery of Agios Stefanos #rock formation #UNESCO World Heritage List #architecture #Thessaly #nuns

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2seeitall · 4 years

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The monastery of Agios Stefanos (St. Stephen’s Monastery) Meteora, Greece

The monastery of Agios Stefanos was built on the site of a 12C hermitage and today houses a convent. It is the most accessible of all Meteora monasteries, where instead of steps you simply cross a small bridge to reach the entrance.

#meteora #greece #europe #mainland greece #monastery #landscape #original photography #rocks #convent #orthodox

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arthistoryfeed · 5 years

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Agios Stefanos Monastery in Meteora #Greece - 15 th. c. (Photographer: Karolos Trivizas)

#byzantine #byzantium #byzantine treasures #byzantine art #history

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lutnistas · 7 years

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Greece - Meteora Monastery of St. Stephen

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greekibloggi · 6 years

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DAY 11: AGIOS STEFANOS NONNERY

Our last Monastery the Nonnery of Stefanos was one of the bigger ones and the nonns here really knew how to garden. It was just soo beautiful here

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memoriesofatraveladdictchick · 6 years

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I could finally find a company that organized excursions from the Island of Corfu to the Meteora.

Végre találtam egy céget, amely kirándulást szervezett Korfu szigetéről a Meteorákhoz.

The excursion itself

The day started really early, if I remember good I was picked up from a hotel at around 6.00 a.m. and we were taken to the Port of Corfu. After that we went by ferry to Igoumenitsa, to the Greek mainland (ca 1,5 hours). From there Kalambaka is 170 km far, we first stopped at Metsovo, a traditional village to taste some cheese, wines and traditional dishes and after that we visited 2 monasteries, the Monastery of the Great Meteoron and the Monastery of Valaam. I was surprised that the guide could hardly speak English, but it is true I didn’t ask in which language it would be. it was mostly in Russian… So the interesting information about the sights / history I looked at the different internet websites.

Hogy is néz ki egy ilyen kirándulás

A nap nagyon korán kezdődött, ha jól emlékszem az egyik szállodától 6.00 órakor vett fel a busz és Korfu kikötőjébe vitt. Ezután komppal átmentünk Igoumenitsa-ba, a görög szárazföldre (kb. 1,5 óra). Innen Kalambaka 170 km-re fekszik, először megálltunk egy hagyományos faluban, Metsovóban, ahol sajtokat, borokat és hagyományos ételeket kóstoltunk meg, majd 2 kolostort – a Nagy Meteoron kolostort és a Valaam kolostort – látogattuk meg. Meglepődtem, hogy az idegenvezető alig tudott angolul , bár igaz, nem kérdeztem, hogy milyen nyelven lesz a kirándulás. Többnyire oroszul volt… Tehát az érdekes információknak a látnivalókról / történelemről a különböző internetes oldalakon néztem utána.

What is the Meteora?

Meteora in Greek means “suspended in the air” and it is a collection of rock pillars above the town of Kalambaka. On the top of these high rocks, the orthodox monasteries stand. The monasteries were built between the 14th -16th centuries but much earlier, in the 11th century hermit monks lived in the caves. Only in the 1920s were steps carved into the rock, until that access to the top was via removable ladders, the food was taken there in baskets with ropes. In the 16th century there were 24 monasteries at Meteora, they were created to serve monks and nuns of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Today 6 monasteries are functioning, the remains are in ruins. 2 of these monasteries are inhabited by nuns, the other 4 by monks.

These 6 remaining monasteries are: The Monastery of Great Meteoron (the largest of the monasteries), Varlaam Monastery (second largest), Roussanou Monastery (it is a nunnery) , Agios Nikolaos Monastery, Agios Stefanos Monastery (nunnery as well) and the Agia Triada Monastery (Holy Trinity).

They are included in the World Heritage List of Unesco. It is a pilgrimage for all Christians around the world and it is a truly breathtaking place in my opinion.

Mik is a Meteorák ?

A görög Meteora szó “levegőben lebegőt” jelent, Kalambaka város felett sziklaoszlopok csoportja. A magas sziklák tetején ortodox kolostorok állnak. A kolostorok a 14-16. században épültek, de már sokkal korábban – a 11. században – a barlangokban szerzetesek éltek. Csak az 1920-as években faragtak a sziklákba lepcsőket , egészen addig az épületeket csak létrákon lehetett megközelíteni, az élelmiszert kosarakban kötelekkel huzták fel. A 16. században 24 bizánci kolostor volt a Meteoráknál. Ma 6 kolostor működik, a többinek már csak a romjai találhatóak. A kolostorok közül kettőben apácák élnek, a másik 4 pedig szerzetesek által lakott. A 6 megmaradt kolostor a következő: Nagy Meteoron kolostor (a legnagyobb kolostor), Varlaam kolostor (második legnagyobb), Rousanou kolostor (apácák élnek itt), Agios Nikolaos kolostor, Agios Stefanos kolostor (szinten apácák lakják) és Agia Triada kolostor (Szentháromság kolostor). A Meteorák szerepelnek az UNESCO világörökségi listáján. Ez egy zarándokhely minden keresztény számára, szerintem egy lélegzetelállító hely…

Vicky

Meteora visit from Corfu / A Meteorák meglátogatása Korfuról I could finally find a company that organized excursions from the Island of Corfu to the Meteora.

#egyutazasmaniastyuknaploja #Greece / Görögország #history #Magyarul #meteora #meteorak #photography #travel #Travelblog #Travelblogger #travelguide #Travelphoto #utazas #utazasiblog #utazom #wanderlust

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clinicoral-blog · 6 years

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Agios Stefanos Beach. A historical monastery on the left and a church on the small island. You can swim to the church and enjoy the environment 😊 Kos, Greece 🌍 . www.gezenpati.com . . #gezenpati #greece #kos #beach #visitgreece #sea #island #church #monastery #blue #sea #sunny #travelphotography #instagood #instago #travelwriter #traveladdict #traveling #followme #mytravelgram @rural_love @map_of_europe @wonderful_places @natgeo @bbc_travel #panorama #view #lp #bbctravel #natgeo @hello_worldpics #folkmagazine @discoverearth #discoverearth @discoverearth.co #awesomeearth @beautifuldestinations #beautiful @visitgreecegr #roamtheplanet (at Kos, Dhodhekanisos, Greece)

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ginolalas · 6 years

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Cliffside. • • • • • • #cliff #cliffside #mountain #mountains #meteora #kalabaka #kalampaka #greece #monastery #thessaly #religion #greekorthodox #orthodox #orthodoxy #sunset #dusk #nofilter #latergram #travelgram #travel #trip #holiday #shotoniphone7 #shotoniphone #shotoniphone7plus (at Agios Stefanos Meteora)

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