Twenty-four monasteries were established atop the giant natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area, mainly from the second half of the 14th century under the local rule ofSimeon Uroš.[3][4]: 414-415 As of December 2025[update], four of the original monasteries were occupied, in active use as monasteries that are managed bymonks, and open to visitors: the monasteries ofGreat Meteoron (est. 1356),Varlaam,Holy Trinity, andSaint Stephen – the latter became aconvent run by a community ofnuns in 1961. Two other former monasteries are extant, yet no longer in active use as monasteries: theSaint Nicholas Anapausas andRousanou monasteries.[citation needed]
Meteora is located in between the town ofKalabaka and the village ofKastraki at the northwestern edge of thePlain of Thessaly near thePineios river andPindus Mountains.[5]: 1–2 The Meteora complex, comprising the six extant monasteries, was added to theUNESCOWorld Heritage List in 1988 because of its outstanding architecture and beauty, combined with religious and cultural significance.[6]
The name means "lofty", "elevated", and is etymologically related tometeor.[7]
Beside thePindos Mountains, in the western region ofThessaly, these unique and enormous columns of rock rise precipitously from the ground. But their unusual form is not easy to explain geologically. They are notvolcanic plugs of hard igneous rock typical elsewhere, but the rocks are composed of a mixture ofsandstone andconglomerate.[8]: 5
The conglomerate was formed of deposits of stone, sand, and mud from streams flowing into a delta at the edge of a lake, over millions of years. About 60 million years ago during thePaleogene period[9] a series of earth movements pushed theseabed upward, creating a highplateau and causing many verticalfault lines in the thick layer of sandstone. The huge rock pillars were then formed byweathering by water, wind, and extremes of temperature on the vertical faults. It is unusual that this conglomerate formation and type of weathering are confined to a relatively localised area within the surrounding mountain formation. The complex is referred to an exhumed continental remnant ofPangean association.[8][clarification needed]
This type of rock formation and weathering process has happened in many other places locally and throughout the world, but what makes Meteora's appearance special is the uniformity of the sedimentary rock constituents deposited over millions of years leaving few signs of vertical layering, and the localised abrupt vertical weathering.
Excavations and research have discoveredpetrifieddiatoms inTheopetra Cave, which have contributed to understanding the Palaeo-climate andclimate changes.Radiocarbon dating evidences human presence dating back 50,000 years.[3] The cave used to be open to the public, but is currently closed indefinitely, for safety inspections.[10]
Vegetation grows thickly out of the vertical rock walls, mainly due to the water that one is able to find in the cracks and crevices that scale the cliff.[8]: 11 Over the past several hundred years, the reports that the Meteora was easily accessible by foot have changed because now one must pass through an impenetrable jungle.[8]: 13
Being such massive unpredictable rock pillars, rock falls pose a constant threat topilgrims and tourists of Meteora. An earthquake of magnitude 7 on theRichter Scale shook the rocks in 1954 but the thin pillars still stand today. In 2005, a massive rock fell, closing the access road leading up to Meteora for days.[8]: 14
Theopetra Cave is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) fromKalambaka. Its uniqueness from an archeological perspective is that a single site contains records of two greatly significant cultural transitions: the replacement ofNeanderthals by modern humans and later, the transition from hunting-gathering to farming after the end of the lastIce Age. The cave consists of an immense 500 square metres (5,400 sq ft) rectangular chamber at the foot of a limestone hill, which rises to the northeast above the village of Theopetra, with an entrance 17 metres (56 ft) wide by 3 metres (9.8 ft) high. It lies at the foot of the Chasia mountain range, which forms the natural boundary between Thessaly andMacedonia regions, while the Lithaios River, a tributary of thePineios River, flows in front of the cave. The small Lithaios River flowing literally on the doorsteps of the cave meant that cave dwellers always had easy access to fresh, clean water without the need to cover daily long distances to find it.[11]
Caves in the vicinity of Meteora were inhabited continuously between 50,000 and 5,000 years ago. The oldest known example of a built structure, a stone wall that blocked two-thirds of the entrance to theTheopetra cave, was constructed 23,000 years ago, probably as a barrier against cold winds (Earth was experiencing anice age at the time), and manypaleolithic andneolithic artifacts of human occupation have been found within the caves.[3][12]
Meteora is not mentioned in classicalGreek myths, nor inAncient Greek literature. The first people who were documented to inhabit Meteora after theNeolithic Era were anascetic group ofhermit monks who, in the 800sCE, moved up to the ancientpinnacles. They lived inhollows andfissures in the rock towers, some of them as high as 550 metres (1,800 ft) above the plain. This great height, combined with the sheerness of the cliff walls, kept away all but the most determined visitors. Initially, the hermits led a life of solitude, meeting only on Sundays and special days, to worship and pray in a chapel built at the foot of a rock known asDupiani.[2]
As early as the 11th century, monks occupied the caverns of Meteora. However, monasteries were not built there until the 1300s, when the monks sought somewhere to hide in the face of an increasing number of attacks by the Turks upon Greece.[13][14] At this time, access to the top was via removable ladders or hoisting ropes. Currently, getting up there is much simpler, due to steps having been carved-into the rock during the 1920s. Of the 24 monasteries, only six (four of men, two of women) are still functioning, with each housing fewer than ten individuals.[15]
The exact date of the establishment of the monasteries is widely believed to be unknown. However, there are clues to when each of the monasteries was constructed. By the late 11th century and early 1100s, a rudimentary monastic state had formed, called theSkete ofStagoi, and it was centered around the still-standing church ofTheotokos (Mother of God).[2] By the end of the 1100s, an ascetic community had flocked to Meteora.
In 1344,Athanasios Koinovitis from Mount Athos, later known as Athanasios the Meteorite, brought a group of followers to Meteora. From 1356 to 1372, he founded TheMonastery of Great Meteoron on the Broad Rock. That location was perfect for the monks, because there, they were safe from political upheaval, and they had complete control of the entry to the monastery. The only means of reaching it was by climbing a long ladder, which was drawn-up whenever the monks thought that there was a threat to them.[16] The creation of the monastic community at Meteora was protected and sponsored by the local lordSimeon Uroš, based in nearbyTrikala, who in 1356 had proclaimed himselfEmperor of Serbs and Greeks following the death ofStefan Dušan.[4]: 414
Simeon Uroš was succeeded in 1370 by his sonJohn Uroš, who three years later retired as a monk to the Meteoron monastery and died there in the early 1420s. At the end of the 14th century, Christian rule over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly, which they finally secured in the second half of the 15th century. The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expandingOttoman Empire, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built,[14] of which six remain today. In 1517,Theophanes built themonastery of Varlaam, which was reputed to house the finger ofSt. John and the shoulder blade ofSt. Andrew.[17]
Access to the monasteries was originally (and deliberately) difficult, requiring either long ladders that were latched together, or large nets that were used to haul-up both goods and people. This required quite a leap of faith, because the ropes were replaced, so the story goes, only "when the Lord let them break".[18] In the words of UNESCO: "The net in which intrepid pilgrims were hoisted up vertically alongside the 373-metre (1,224 ft) cliff where the Varlaam monastery dominates the valley symbolizes the fragility of a traditional way of life that is threatened with extinction."[19]
Until the 1600s, the primary means of conveying goods and people from these high places was by means of baskets and ropes.[20]
In the 1920s, there was an improvement in the arrangements: Steps were cut into the rock, making the complex accessible via a bridge from the nearby plateau. DuringWorld War II, the site was bombed.[22]
Map of Meteora, with the six extant monasteries, as marked
At their peak in the 16th century, there were 24 monasteries at Meteora in Greece. They were created to serve monks and nuns following the teachings of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Much of the architecture of these buildings isAthonite in origin. Today there are six extant, of which four operate as monasteries, while the remainder are largely in ruin. Perched onto high cliffs, they are now accessible by staircases and pathways cut into the rock formations.[16]
The HolyMonastery of Great Meteoron (Greek:της Μεταμόρφωσης,romanized: Metamorfoses) is the oldest and largest of the monasteries of Meteora. The monastery is believed to have been built just before the mid-14th century by a monk from Mount Athos named SaintAthanasios the Meteorite.[5]: 3 He began the build with a church in dedication to theMother of God, theVirgin Mary. He later added small cells so thatmonks could concentrate and live atop the rock formations.[23] The monastery's second name is, The Holy Monastery of theTransfiguration, which got its name from the second church St. Meteorites built. The successor of Saint Athanasios was Saint Joasaph, who continued to build more cells, a hospital, and renovated the churches atop the rocks. The Monastery thrived in the 16th century when it received many imperial and royal donations.[24]: 149 At the time it had over three hundred monks living and worshipping within its cells. It is still a living monastery as there were three monks in residence as of 2015.[23][24]: 15
Being the largest among all the monasteries allows it to have a particular layout filled with many buildings. Thekatholikon is dedicated to theTransfiguration of Jesus and was the first church of the monastery. The hermitage of the first founder of the monastery is a small building carved in rock. The kitchen or what is commonly referred to as thehestia is a dome-shaped building near therefectory. There is also a hospital, with its famous roof of the ground floor made of brick and supported on four columns. The three old churches or chapels include: The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist which lies next to the katholikon sanctuary, The Saints Constantine andHelen Chapel which is an aisle-less church with largevault, and finally the chapel of Virgin Mary situated in the cave.[23][25][5]: 78
TheMonastery of Varlaam (Greek:Βαρλαάμ; also known asGreek:Αγίων Πάντων,romanized: Agion Panton,lit.'All Saints') is the second largest monastery of Meteora. The name Varlaam comes from a monk named Varlaam who scaled the rocks in 1350 and began construction on themonasteries. Varlaam built three churches by hoisting materials up the face of the cliffs. After Varlaam's death, the monastery was abandoned for two hundred years until two monk brothers, Theophanes and Nektarios Apsarades, came to the rock in the 16th century and began to rebuild the churches in October 1517.[5]: 135–137 The two brothers fromIoannina spent twenty-two years hoisting materials to the top of the rock formation, however, the building only is reported to have taken around twenty days.[17] Monks have been present since the 16th century, however, there has been a constant decline in their presence since the 17th century.[24]: 149 [17] Today the monastery is accessed through a series of ladders that scale the north side of the rock. The museum is open to travelers and contains a wide array of relics and ecclesiastical treasures. As of 2015[update] there are seven monks remaining in Varlaam.[17]
TheMonastery of Rousanou (Greek:Ρουσάνου,romanized: Rousanou; alsoGreek:Αρσάνου,romanized: Arsanou) is believed to have been constructed, like many of the other monasteries, in the 14th century.[5]: 144 The cathedral is believed to have been built in the 16th century and later decorated in 1540. The name Rousanou is believed to come from the first group of monks who settled on the rock from Russia.[5]: 147 The monastery is 484 metres (1,588 ft)above sea level. Lying in the middle of the site, visitors can see the other monasteries, as well as the ruins of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist and the Pantokrator.[26]
TheMonastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas (Greek:Αγίου Νικολάου Αναπαυσά,romanized: Agiou Nikolaou Anapausa) is located atop a small narrow rock. It is approximately eighty meters high and the first which the pilgrims encounter on their way to the holy Meteora. The Monastery was founded in the late 14th century and today is surrounded by the deserted and ruined monasteries of St. John Prodromos, thePantocrator, and the chapel of Panagia Doupiani.[5]: 158 The monastery served as a resting place for pilgrims and quickly got its name ofAnapausas (modern pronunciationanapafseos), 'resting'.[13][14] Being on such a narrow surface, the floors are connected through an interior staircase. St. Nicholas is honored on the second floor where thekatholikon is located. On the third floor, there is theHoly Table and the walls are decorated by 14th-century frescoes. The monastery has been restored in the 16th century and again in the 1960s.[14]
TheMonastery of the Holy Trinity (Greek:Αγίας Τριάδος,romanized: Agias Triados) is believed to have been built in the 14th and 15th century. Even prior to this, ancient Greeks established hermitages at the base of the rock cliffs.[27] In the 14th century,John Uroš moved to the Meteora and endowed and built monasteries on top of the rock cliffs. He offered the sanctuaries as a safe haven during times of political upheaval.[13] The monk Dometius was said to be the founder of the monastery, arriving at the site of Holy Trinity in 1438. The actual monastery is believed to have been built between 1475 and 1476.[28] Some do say that the exact construction date of the monastery like many of the other monasteries is unknown. By the end of the 16th century this was one of the last six monasteries still atop the Meteora.[16]
TheMonastery of St. Stephen (Greek:Αγίου Στεφάνου,romanized: Agiou Stefanou) is located on a plateau-like structure. The original monastery was believed to have been built in the 14th century, however, a newkatholikon was built in 1798 making it the newest of all the meteorite structures.[29] The monastery is made up of many buildings including new katholikon, the "hestia" (kitchen), an old refectory that has since become a museum, and an assortment of rooms with different purposes.[5]: 164–166 These include workrooms for paintings, embroidery, incense-making, and needlework. The church's interior was decorated withfrescoes on the inside for a short period after 1545. However, during theWorld wars, themonasteries were bombed heavily and ransacked in the belief that the monks were holding refugees.[29] As of 2015[update], the Monastery of St. Stephen is home to 28 nuns after its conversion to a nunnery in 1961.[29]
In addition to the above six extant monasteries, the remaining eighteen historic monasteries of Meteora are listed as follows.[30][31] Coordinates are also given for some sites.[32] The list is primarily sourced from Vlioras (2017),[32] with some additional notes from Provatakis (2006).[31]
Ruins at theHoly Spirit (Agion Pnefma) Rock (39°43′06″N21°37′21″E / 39.718336°N 21.622516°E /39.718336; 21.622516 (Monastery of St. George of Mandila)). Kerchiefs (mandilia) are traditionally hung at the cave entrance. The cave is 15 metres long and 4–5 metres deep at its center, and is located approx. 30 m (98 ft) aboveground. It may have been one of the four monasteries founded around 1367 by Neilos, thePrior of the Skete of Stagoi. The Cave of St. George of Mandila may be the same as the Cave of Archimandrite Makarios near Pigadion.
Founded in 1358 in a rock cave (39°48′8″N21°40′42″E / 39.80222°N 21.67833°E /39.80222; 21.67833 (Palaiopanagia Monastery)). 7 km north ofVlachava village, near the Ion (or Mikani) River, a tributary of thePineios.[35] It can be reached via a dirt road that goes out to the northeast from the village center of Vlachava. A carved staircase leads up to the rock cave. Elevation: about 600 m. Also, directly behind it lies Kallistra Rock (βράχος Καλλίστρα), the site of the ruins of the Monastery of St. Kallistos (Μονή Αγίων Αποστόλων Καλλίστου), which is also called the Monastery of the Holy Apostles (Μονή των Αγίων Αποστόλων).
Founded in 1367 by the Prior/Abbot of the Skete of Dupiani. In 1765, it was restored by Athanasios Vlachavas, a local leader. Today, Ypapantis Monastery (literally "Monastery of thePresentation of Jesus") is inactive and rarely visited, although the building (39°44′00″N21°37′51″E / 39.733470°N 21.630868°E /39.733470; 21.630868 (Ypapantis Monastery)) has been restored.[36] The interior of the building is usually closed to visitors. Accessible by footpaths, one of which passes byFtelias (Φτελιάς) Rock.
The greater Meteora rock formation also extends northwest into theGavros andAgios Dimitrios areas, although the termMeteora is commonly used to refer to only the rocks aroundKalabaka andKastraki.
TheMonastery of Rousanou (in order from background to foreground). TheHoly Spirit Rock is on the left side, whileDupiani Rock can be seen in the center, at the middle of the valley.
Meteora is popular with hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, and rock climbers from around the world, particularly during the summer. TheMeteora MTB Race, also known as the Vasilis Efstathiou (Βασίλης Ευσταθίου) MTB Race, is held annually at Meteora.[55]
The 1957 filmBoy on a Dolphin is partly shot in Meteora.[57]Clifton Webb's character visits Meteora, and goes up to the Holy Trinity monastery to do some library research.
One of the surviving characters inMax Brooks's zombie apocalypse novelWorld War Z finds refuge and peace of mind in the monasteries during and after the zombie war.
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Meteora Trails (In 2021, an effort to map the entire trail network of Meteora began, which now consists of 14 interconnected trails covering the entire area.)
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