Meteora Greece

Took the shots for this rather long post on our last holiday in Greece on the main land. We stayed in a resort near the beach and from there we toured by rental car to the monasteries of Meteora. And what a great experience that became.
Full shot
In our rented Fiat Panda we had to drive
for that view.

So we start this new tour again with some historical information about this place.
The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece near the town of Kalambaka hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. There are six of original twenty four monasteries left and they are all build on top of rock pillars of witch the Meteora formation exists. As you can see in the picture above. The name Meteora literally means float and in the winter months you can see the monasteries “float” above the low hanging clouds. These days four monasteries still host monks.
These monasteries build by monk who wanted to escape the Turkish oppressors and found the perfect hiding place on the tops of the Meteora rock formation. From 1356 to 1372 Athanasios Koinovitis founded the great Meteoren monastery on the Broard Rock ideal for the monks. They were safe as they controlled the only entry to the monastery, a long ladder which could be pulled up if the monks felt threatened. The only other way of reaching the monastery was by a net which could be hauled up and was used for both goods as well as people. In the 1920ths steps where cut into the rocks making it easier accessing the monasteries. At the end of the 14th century more than 20 monasteries where build.
In 1988 it became part of the Unesco World Heritage. So now on with some…or a lot of shots of this beautiful historical place. For more information click on the sources or use your favorite search engine. I still have some shots of a visit to one of the monasteries but as this is becoming a large post i will do another one about the visit,

Full Shot
A typical rock pillar off the Meteora area, and as you can see we didn't had the nicest weather on our visit.

Full Shot
One of the monasteries build on top of the rocks. Nowdays there are roads and steps towards these buildings. Just imagine how it must have been in the time that it was build.

Full Shot

Full Shot
The stairs at one of the monasteries to access the gardens witch are situated a bit lower than the admission roads.

Full Shot
Panorama shot of one of the monasteries.

Full Shot
How have they build on places like this in the old days.

The next shots repeat the above series in many ways but with jet another monastery or another beautiful far sight at this lovely spot on erath.

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

Full Shot

The names of te six remaining monasteries are:

• The Monastery of Great Meteoron - This is the largest of the monasteries located at Meteora, although in 2015 there were only three monks in residence. It was erected in the mid-fourteenth century and was the subject of restoration and embellishment projects in 1483 and 1552. One building serves as the main museum for tourists. The Katholikon (main church), consecrated in honour of the Transfiguration of Jesus was erected in the middle of the fourteenth century and 1387/88 and decorated in 1483 and 1552
• The Monastery of Varlaam - The Monastery of Varlaam is the second largest monastery in the Meteora complex, and in 2015 had the largest number of monks (seven) of the monasteries for men. It was built in 1541 and embellished in 1548. A church, dedicated to All Saints, is in the Athonite type (cross-in-square with dome and choirs), with spacious exonarthex (lite) is surrounded by a dome. It was built in 1541-42 and decorated in 1548, while the exonarthex was decorated in 1566. The old refectory is used as a museum while north of the church is the parekklesion of the Three Bishops, built in 1627 and decorated in 1637.
• The Monastery of Rousanou/St. Barbara - was founded in the middle of the sixteenth century and decorated in 1560. Today it is a flourishing nunnery with 13 nuns in residence in 2015.
• The Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas - built in the sixteenth century, has a small church, decorated in 1527 by the noted Cretan painter, Theophanis Strelitzas. There was one monk in residence in 2015
• The Monastery of St. Stephen - has a small church built in the sixteenth century and decorated in 1545. This monastery rests on the plain rather than on a cliff. It was shelled by the Nazis during World War II who believed it was harboring insurgents, after which it was abandoned. The monastery was given over to nuns in 1961 and they have reconstructed it into a flourishing nunnery, with 28 nuns in residence in 2015.
• The Monastery of the Holy Trinity - is on top of the cliffs. It was built in 1475 and was remodeled in 1684, 1689, 1692, 1741.There were four monks in residence in 2015.

Sources:
source,
source,
source

Gear: Nikon 1J1
Samsung Galaxy s8
Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm
Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm
Edit: Lightroom

Unless stated otherwise all photos used in my posts are taken and owned by myself, if you wish to use any of my images please contact me

A comment or upvote is highly appreciated.

I'm with QURATOR... Are you?

Posted using