Be in awe of the Meteora monastery hidden in the clouds in Greece

The Meteora monastery complex is located precariously on a natural sandstone cliff, standing out in the midst of the busy Thessaly plains, in the town of Kalambaka, Central Greece. This is one of the most unique architectural works in the world, making many visitors wonder why humans can build such a wonder. In Greek, Meteora means “floating in the air” or “heavenly stone pillar”.

This monastery complex was formed in the 14th century, when the monks in the Athos peninsula in southern Europe were threatened by Turkish pirates. They were forced to move to new lands, where there are difficult-to-reach rocky forests, to find shelter. The process of building these “floating in the air” works is extremely difficult. They had to transport large quantities of material over extremely steep sandstone columns using rope ladders. When completed, Meteora has 24 magnificent monasteries spread with sweat, tears and the lives of many people.

Experiencing many historical events, Meteora only has 6 intact monasteries. Each such monastery has less than 10 monks living in retreat and isolated from the outside world.

Not only seems unique in terms of geographical location and history, the architecture inside the monastery also captivates many people. Throughout the hall and the place of prayer are cleverly decorated with relics, elaborately carved wooden crosses, saints and unique and delicate frescoes, both reverent and full of aesthetics.

In the past, to be able to set foot on these immense cathedral gates among the clouds, people had to rely on a network of ropes, pulleys and rope ladders. Today, visitors can get around easily because Meteora built a fairly safe stair system in the 1920s.

Meteora is considered one of the largest and most important Greek Orthodox monasteries. UNESCO recognized this complex of monasteries floating in the clouds as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site in 1998 and since then, Meteora has become a popular destination for foreign tourists and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Greek symbol.

As a famous destination of Greece, summer (from July to October) is the peak season for tourist activities here. Tourists who don’t like the noise often visit Meteora in the fall – winter (December to March) to enjoy the cool weather, quiet scenery and lower prices for services. In addition, you can also go skiing, visit Theopetra cave (an archaeological site that holds evidence of human habitation more than 130,000 years ago), participate in climbing activities at the sandstone peaks in the country. Meteora or visit the village of Kalabaka just below the Holy Trinity monastery to experience the daily life of the people here.

When visiting religious sites, visitors should dress politely and discreetly. The cost of visiting this cloud monastery complex is optional and depends on the generosity of visitors.