The miracle of Meteora
Tall rocks of unearthly shape stand high in an unprecedented complex of stony mass, unique not only in Greece but all over the world. Monasteries there climb over their peaks, which sometimes confront cliffs and other times eternity. These are Meteora, which rise above Kalabaka city. Worthy of admiration of how these rocks were created and how people constructed monasteries on their peaks, monks and nuns may feel closer to God wherein abstracted from worldly concerns, viewing the beauty of the Thessalian flatland.
Creation of Meteora
Meteora were created millions of years ago, like millions of years were needed for their creation. Firstly, this area was the delta of a very long river that sprung from Europe and transferred materials from different areas, most of which didn’t reach the sea but accumulated on the Thessaly flatland. This period succeeded another one, in which the subsidence of Thessaly occured due to the upsweep of Sterea Greece, and the result was the creation of a very big lake. The water of this lake met the sea, after very important geological phenomena opened the Tempi gorge. All materials that had been accumulated all these years suddenly appeared. After thousands of years these magnificent rocks were created, with the help of the rain and the wind.
Monasteries of the Meteora
We don’t know when exactly the first monks settled in Meteora. There are historical reports that they went more or less in the 9th century. However, in the beginning of the 11th century the first organized community of monks was created. The first monasteries were built in the middle of the 14th century, and this was the first time that this place was called Meteora by Saint Athanasios. He founded the Monastery of Metamorphosis of Jesus Crist and he named Meteora the Platis Lithos, where he built his monastery. Since then this complex of rocks is called The Meteora.
Over the years, the community of monks had grown and finally they constructed 24 monasteries. In their heyday between the 15th and 16th century, the monasteries were decorated with post-byzantine paintings. The evening of their great life came after a few centuries. By the 18th century, many monasteries were destroyed by the Ottomans, because monks helped Greek people that were in Ottomans’ thrall. During World War 2, most of them were totally or partly destroyed.
Nowadays, only 6 monasteries remain open: the Monastery of Great Meteoron, the Monastery of Varlaam, the Monastery of Roussanou, the Monastery of St. Stephen, the Monastery of Holy Trinity and the Monastery of St. Nikolaos. Meteora has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989 and an official holy place for Greece since 1995.
Meteora rock climbing
Meteora is one of the most famous climbing places in the world. Since ancient times, local people climbed there when their lives were in danger and they found a selter in the Meteora caves. At a later time, when the monks arrived, they believed that this climbing was a struggle for isolation and a search for God.
The Meteora climbing area is hard enough to cross, however, it is very famous because of its unique beauty and the unique material that it is made of. It’s advisable, if somebody doesn’t have any experience, to go with a guide for the first time. The routes are unlimited and very well organized, with the most impressives ones ending up in some abandoned monasteries.
Locals continue to climb over the rocks, especially on the day of the celebration of Saint George Mandilaras. Then, many climbers and locals climb up to the cave that hosts the Saint’s little church where they want to suspend a scarf for good health. According to tradition, it began during the Ottoman Empire, when an Ottoman woman promised to give to the Saint her yashmak if her husband recovered from his serious accident. The miracle happened and the Mouslim woman gave her yashmak. Since then, this ritual keeps repeating through the centuries.
