Meteora

Meteora (Μετέωρα) is a cluster of giant rock pillars at the northwestern edge of the Thessalian plain, beside the town of Kalambaka. The rocks consist of sandstone and conglomerate shaped by erosion. On their summits stand Eastern Orthodox monasteries, and the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both its natural and its cultural value.

Hermits lived in caves here from around the 11th century. In the 14th century Athanasios the Meteorite founded the Great Meteoron, and more monasteries followed until there were about two dozen. Six are still active, namely the Great Meteoron, Varlaam, Rousanou, St. Nicholas Anapausas, Holy Trinity (Agia Triada) and St. Stephen's. Their churches hold Byzantine frescoes and icons. Some were long reachable only by ladders or by nets hauled up on ropes. Show more

Visitors reach the monasteries by road or on old footpaths that climb from Kalambaka and the village of Kastraki. The cliffs also draw rock climbers, and viewpoints along the road are popular at sunset. In Kalambaka, the Byzantine Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and a natural history museum with a mushroom collection complete a visit. Kalambaka is reached by train and by road.