During the archaic times of 11th century Europe, political turmoil was ravaging Greece. Warriors from Constantinople were pushing into the West, clashing amongst fighters who were trying to sustain their ain strongholds. Hermits were struggling to hold their ascetic belief system, beingness persecuted equally they drifted from 1 hamlet to the next. With nowhere to hide, they began to facial expression to the Heavens for safety. They saught solace inward the peaks inward a higher identify them, in addition to the rootage monasteries of Meteora began to take away hold shape.
When Athanasios Koinovitis arrived inward the modest hamlet inward the 14th century, surrounded yesteryear sandstone monoliths, his upward gaze was rewarded amongst an idea. Inspired yesteryear the hermits perched inward the caves above, he decided to migrate his devout worshippers to Meteora, in addition to unknowingly created 1 of the most spectacular religious centres on the planet.
The monasteries of Meteora are maybe some of the most photographed icons inward all of Europe. The stone, brick in addition to timber places of worship sit down harmoniously on the summits of diverse peaks closed to the villages of Kastraki in addition to Kalambaka, blending seamlessly into their foundations.
How they were built is a modern-day marvel.
When Athanasios Koinovitis rootage arrived inward Meteora, he admired the hermits of the area, who would free-climb the vertical cliffs to seek refuge inward crevices in addition to caves. Envisioning these peaks equally a identify where his people could meditate in addition to exercise their religious belief inward peace, he employed the hermits to learn him how to climb.
Over the side yesteryear side 2 centuries, the monks would ascend the crags, edifice pulley systems to aid send edifice materials to the top. What they created were 24 stupendous monasteries that allowed isolation from the warring tribes below them. Today entirely 6 remain, but their captivating positions silent take away hold people’s breath away.
Having spent five days inward Athens, the energetic Greek capital, it was fourth dimension for us to board a develop in addition to caput to Kalambaka. At the goal of 2 years crossing Asia, next the Silk Road in addition to traversing a dizzying array of landscapes in addition to religious centres, nosotros were create to regard the best of what Europe has to offer.
As the develop rounded a curvature nosotros caught our rootage glimpse of the towering monasteries, in addition to were straight off impressed. Even from the ground, in that location was no denying the imposing beauty of these mountaintop refuges. We couldn’t larn off the develop quick enough.
We walked to the component subdivision of Visit Meteora, who would endure our hosts for the side yesteryear side iv days. The managing director, George, sat us downwards in addition to beamed amongst excitement equally he talked close his hometown. He was careful non to give besides much data away, however, equally he was to endure leading us on a guided tour the next day.
Jumping inward a van, their driver gave us a brief tour of the area, earlier dropping us off at the Grand Meteora Hotel inward Kastraki hamlet – a brand-new, 4-star complex that had but been completed a few months earlier our arrival. We checked inward in addition to were surprised to uncovering that nosotros were the entirely guests inward the entire facility. We had heard that Meteora was placidity inward the off-season, but nosotros never expected this.
Walking closed to Kastraki nosotros realised but how empty the hamlet was. We were the entirely tourists around. Restaurants were closed, supermarkets were boarded up, in addition to nosotros had the streets to ourselves. Helpful locals pointed us inward the administration of Tavern Ouzeri Pappas, the entirely eating seat that was silent open, in addition to nosotros feasted on souvlaki in addition to cherry vino earlier retiring for the night.
At 9am nosotros were met yesteryear George in addition to 1 other lady who would endure amongst us on the Hiking Tour Of Meteora. We were dropped at a trailhead, at the base of operations of a mountain, amongst the Pantokrator Monastery perched proudly above. George walked us to an empty plain in addition to began his introduction to the area.
The history of Meteora is well-known – the monks that moved to the expanse in addition to built the monasteries to escape persecution in addition to war, in addition to thence created a marvel of architecture. But it is the unknown tales that George bestowed upon us, in addition to the ones that most intrigued us. Some were controversial, in addition to nosotros were asked specifically non to write close it. You volition take away hold to come across amongst him yourself if y'all want to know the clandestine stories of Meteora.
The trail led us closed to the sandstone in addition to conglomerate rocks, in addition to through a picturesque forest. In summertime the estrus tin endure almost unbearable, but on this solar daytime inward Jan it was balmy in addition to cool. Soon nosotros pulled upwards at the bottom of the Ypapanti Monastery, which is closed to the populace almost year-round. George told us stories of how it came to endure inward existence, in addition to and so revealed that it opens to the masses entirely 1 solar daytime a year. That solar daytime happened to endure the next week, but alas nosotros would endure dorsum on the route inward Turkey yesteryear then. Another argue to gear upwards a 2d see to Meteora.
Climbing the dusty trail, nosotros reached a statue of a famous Greek historian. Here George revealed his truthful passion of his country, in addition to regaled us amongst historic tales in addition to in-depth insights into the development in addition to creation of modern-day Greece. No amount of history reading tin gibe the details given from an educated in addition to passionate local, in addition to nosotros appreciated George’s honesty.
By at nowadays nosotros had flora ourselves close the top of the mountains, in addition to a curt walk revealed the glorious views that Meteora is most recognised for – that of the peaks in addition to monasteries that adorn them.
Once nosotros had made the most of the photograph opportunities, nosotros walked downwards towards the Great Meteoron Monastery, the largest in addition to most famous of all inward Meteora. For centuries the entirely agency within was to climb the cliffs or endure lifted yesteryear a rope in addition to pulley system. Today a couple in addition to staircase has been carved for visitors, in addition to a cable motorcar connects the nearby colina to the peak, allowing the monks to access the monastery easier.
The girls were required to wearable a skirt to enter, in addition to the monastery provides them amongst the cost of entry (only iii Euro). George in addition to so took us on a vibrant in addition to enthusiastic tour of the grounds, pointing out the ancient tools stashed away, in addition to offering stories in addition to history inward the fascinating museum. We tryed to decipher millennia-old parchments in addition to admired master copy costumes. The museum lonely is worth to a greater extent than than the toll of admission.
Once nosotros had explored the grounds, it was fourth dimension to descend the mountain. This trail was steeper than the previous one, in addition to nosotros were glad George had planned the tour to goal downhill. Our driver was waiting to selection us upwards when nosotros arrived, in addition to he happily dropped us at the Grand Meteora Hotel. We thanked George for the amazing experience, in addition to he informed us nosotros silent had to a greater extent than planned for the side yesteryear side day.
Resting upwards in addition to enjoying a drinking glass of wine, nosotros waited the black out inward the placidity serenity of Kastraki village.
The next morning time nosotros were taken on the iconic Meteora Half-Day Driving Tour, that would take away hold us to 2 of the monasteries nosotros had missed, in addition to out to the prehistoric Theopetra Cave.
We stopped yesteryear the monasteries of Varlaam in addition to St Stephen’s, in addition to were allowed to wander freely. Each monastery offers a fascinating take in in addition to intriguing history, in addition to nosotros could easily take away hold spent hours inward each one.
But the highlight of the tour was the Theopetra Cave. Situated fifteen minutes from the hamlet of Kalambaka, the Theopetra cave is nestled high inward a mountain, overlooking an of import merchandise route. The Lithaios River flows at the human foot of the cave, pregnant the inhabitants ever had access to fresh drinking water. The importance of this location was realised at an early on time.
Radiocarbon dating finds that artefacts in addition to remnants of human existence inward the cave goes dorsum over 50’000 years. An elevated boardwalk has been built to allow visitors access without causing whatsoever terms to the phenomenal history that lies inside. We marvelled at the millennia-old footprints silent resting inward the crusted mud. Afterwards, nosotros wandered through the halls of the superb museum that holds some of the best-preserved archaeological finds. Spanning both the times of the neanderthal in addition to modern-day humans, the historical significance of this cave is astounding.
We returned to Kalambaka amongst a newfound appreciation of the monasteries in addition to history of Meteora. The side yesteryear side solar daytime nosotros took component subdivision inward the scrambling in addition to via ferrata tour of the Great Saint, which helped farther cement this identify equally 1 of the most striking in addition to exciting destinations nosotros had visited inward recent times.
Sitting dorsum at our hotel, amongst some other drinking glass of vino inward hand, nosotros stared upwards at the timeless monasteries above. With a pristine heaven shimmering in addition to lite bouncing off the sandstone monoliths, it was slow to lose ourselves inward the intense beauty Meteora has to offer. Few places deserve equally much recognition equally this epic region, nestled inward the mountains of Central Greece.
We were welcomed equally guests of Visit Meteora for our solar daytime tours inward the area. The Grand Hotel also hosted us during our stay. All thoughts in addition to opinions are of course, our own.
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