Meteora, Greece

Amazing Meteora monasteries are among the most striking sights in Greece. They owe their name to Greek word ‘meteor’ that can be translated as ‘floating in the air’. The name succinctly and clearly describes the feature of these religious structures. Currently, the complex includes six active Orthodox monasteries located on the cliff tops.

They have been founded more than a thousand years ago. Locals believed that the mountain range of Chasia, where monasteries have been arranged, to be the real godsend. Rocks set amidst Thessalian plain attracted the attention of monks. They managed to achieve their main goal - to get close to God by building temples high above the earth. Monasteries located on the cliff tops look just fascinating; the only way to get to one of them is to climb over steep fragile stairs.

Given that the highest rock is more than 600 meters high, the path to the monastery won’t seem simple. All staircases were cut directly into the rock; the 8 meters suspension bridge provides access to the monastery of St. Stephen. It’s noteworthy that some stairs were cut just recently. However, monks have being constantly living in monasteries for over a thousand years. Initially, the path to the shrines was a deadly event, but now the main obstacle is a fear of heights. Next - Paro Taktsang