© Photograph & text courtesy of sacredsites.com and Martin Gray
Greece. Meteora, Monastery of Rousanou
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Perched high atop spires of conglomerated rock, the monasteries of Meteora are one of the world's most spectacular sacred sites. Located in the Thessaly region of north central Greece, the towering rocks of Meteora, meaning 'rocks in the air', have long evoked awe in human beings. Paleolithic remains indicate settlements around the stones from between 100,000 to 40,000 BC, and hermits and ascetics have lived in the area since long before the Christian era. The arrival of Christianity began in the 8th century, organized monastic communities had developed by the 12th century, and by the mid 1500's sixteen Greek Orthodox monasteries had been constructed upon the spires of stone. The monasteries, accessible only by baskets lowered by ropes, became a center of scholarship and art until the mid 18th century when popular interest in monasticism declined. Most of the monasteries were abandoned and today only six survive, of which four can be visited (they can now be reached by bridges and rock-cut steps). Previously a remote area, the construction of a highway in the early 1960's made the monasteries accessible to pilgrims and tourists. This influx of visitors however, has discouraged new monks from joining the monasteries and compelled others to move to Mt. Athos in search of solitude and privacy.
| | There are many good pictures of Meteora, but this one is superb! | | | Absolutely stunning.The monastery rises up right out of the rock.Impressive and awesome (in the true sense of the word) |
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