{"id":212,"date":"2007-12-16T18:56:04","date_gmt":"2007-12-16T08:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/wordpress\/?p=212"},"modified":"2007-12-16T18:56:04","modified_gmt":"2007-12-16T08:56:04","slug":"meteora-monasteries-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/wordpress\/greece\/meteora-greece\/meteora-monasteries-greece","title":{"rendered":"Met\u00e9ora  Monasteries &#8211; Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"float: right\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\"><!--\r\ngoogle_ad_client = \"pub-1009507070974015\";\r\ngoogle_alternate_ad_url = \"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/google_adsense_script.html\";\r\ngoogle_ad_width = 300;\r\ngoogle_ad_height = 250;\r\ngoogle_ad_format = \"300x250_as\";\r\ngoogle_ad_type = \"text_image\";\r\n\/\/2007-06-30: TSBlog 300x250\r\ngoogle_ad_channel = \"2928184950\";\r\ngoogle_color_border = \"FFFFFF\";\r\ngoogle_color_bg = \"FFFFFF\";\r\ngoogle_color_link = \"FF6600\";\r\ngoogle_color_text = \"000000\";\r\ngoogle_color_url = \"339933\";\r\n\/\/-->\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\r\n  src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\r\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3047.jpg.html\" title=\"Meteora pinnacles, Meteora\">Met\u00e9ora <\/a>is the second biggest and most important monastic complex in Greece.\u00a0 The first inhabitants of Met\u00e9ora were hermits.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3047.jpg.html\" title=\"Meteora pinnacles, Meteora\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"right\" width=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/37619-2\/AJP_3047.jpg?resize=110%2C85\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"Meteora pinnacles\" height=\"85\" style=\"width: 110px; height: 85px\" title=\"Meteora pinnacles\" \/><\/a>They settled here during the 11th century, living in hollows and fissures in the rock pinnacles.\u00a0 The word <em>monahos<\/em>, or <em>monahia<\/em>, means <em>&#8216;the person who is alone&#8217;<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0 Some of these rock towers reach 550m above the plain, with the great height, combined with the sheerness of the cliff walls, making it impossible to reach except for the most determined visitors.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/mainlandgreece_0086.jpg.html\" title=\"Hermit caves, Meteora\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"left\" width=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/16581-2\/mainlandgreece_0086.jpg?resize=110%2C85\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"Dwellings of hermits, Meteora\" height=\"85\" style=\"width: 110px; height: 85px\" title=\"Dwellings of hermits, Meteora\" \/><\/a>By the end of the 12th century, an ascetic community had flocked to Met\u00e9ora.\u00a0 Initially the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/mainlandgreece_0086.jpg.html\" title=\"Hermit caves, Meteora\">hermits <\/a>led a life of solitude, meeting only on Sundays and special days to worship and pray in a chapel built at the foot of a rock known as Dhoupiani.\u00a0 At the end of the 14th century, the Byzantine Empire&#8217;s 800-year reign over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly.\u00a0 More monks fled to Met\u00e9ora to escape the Turkish invaders and the earliest monastery was believed to have been established during this period.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/DSC_0866.jpg.html\" title=\"Views from Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"right\" width=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/37719-2\/DSC_0866.jpg?resize=110%2C85\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"View from Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\" height=\"85\" style=\"width: 110px; height: 85px\" title=\"View from Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\" \/><\/a>There were originally 24 monasteries, but only six are in active use today, whilst the remaining ones are deserted.\u00a0 Four of the six monasteries are for the monks: \u00a0Metam\u00f3rphosis &#8211; Transfiguration, Varla\u00e1m, Agiou Nik\u00f3laos Anapafs\u00e1s and Agh\u00eda Triada &#8211; Holy Trinity.\u00a0 \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/DSC_0866.jpg.html\" title=\"Views from Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\">Rousanou <\/a>and Aghios St\u00e9fanos monasteries are for nuns.\u00a0 The monasteries of Met\u00e9ora have been listed as monuments of cultural heritage by UNESCO.<\/p>\n<p>Met\u00e9ora means <em>&#8216;suspended rocks&#8217;<\/em>.\u00a0 Until the 17th century, the main way of conveying goods and people from these rocky towers was by means of baskets and ropes.\u00a0 The monks must have had utmost faith in their religion and the mechanism used to winch them up the steep cliffs.\u00a0 It was believed that the ropes were only replaced &#8220;<em>when the Lord let them break<\/em>&#8220;.\u00a0 Around the 1920s steps were cut into the rock, making the complex more accessible via a bridge from the nearby plateau.\u00a0 Today, you can drive almost all the way up, with only the final stage to be completed on foot. I&#8217;m sure if baskets and ropes were the only means of getting to the top, not be many of us who would have the faith and courage to do the trip.<\/p>\n<p>Our visit today was to Moni Rousanou, which was where we visited a few years ago as well.\u00a0 Being the most spectacularly located of all the monasteries, it naturally features in most tour itineraries.\u00a0\u00a0 Photography is not allowed inside the monastery.\u00a0 Although there were conflicting advice as to what length pants was acceptable, ladies actually must wear skirts.\u00a0 Do not panic if you&#8217;ve not got a skirt with you as they provide wrap skirts up there.\u00a0 Guys, if your shorts are perceived to be a little on the short side, you&#8217;ll be asked to wrap up as well which is no big deal.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3107.jpg.html\" title=\"Talandon, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora, Greece\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"left\" width=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/37751-2\/AJP_3107.jpg?resize=110%2C85\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"Talandon - Rousanou Monastery, Meteora, Greece\" height=\"85\" style=\"width: 110px; height: 85px\" title=\"Talandon - Rousanou Monastery, Meteora, Greece\" \/><\/a>Rousanou was converted into a nunnery in 1960 and this was followed by Aghios St\u00e9fanos.\u00a0 Fourteen nuns live up here and each morning at 4:30 a.m. when the sound of the wooden drum occurs, they wake up for prayers.\u00a0 Their day consists of 8 hours of prayer, 8 hours of work and 8 hours or rest. They take turns with different chores, including sounding the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3107.jpg.html\" title=\"Talandon, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\">&#8216;Talandon&#8217; <\/a>which is the wooden chime or &#8216;Symandron&#8217;, the metal chime sounded at festivals &#8211; it sounds like bells chiming.\u00a0 It takes three years of religious practice before one could be accepted here.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3120.jpg.html\" title=\"Church of the Metamorfosis, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"right\" width=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/37763-2\/AJP_3120.jpg?resize=110%2C85\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"Church of the Metamorfosis, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\" height=\"85\" style=\"width: 110px; height: 85px\" title=\"Church of the Metamorfosis, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We visited the very small 16th century <a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/v\/Greece\/MainlandGreece\/Meteora\/AJP_3120.jpg.html\" title=\"Church of the Metamorfosis, Rousanou Monastery, Meteora\">Church of\u00a0 the Metamorfosis <\/a>which has\u00a0very impressive frescoes,\u00a0painted in 1560 by iconographers\u00a0of the Cretan school.\u00a0 The most important painting is the Last Judgement above the doorway.<\/p>\n<p>There is a nice giftshop where you can buy postcards and souvenirs.\u00a0 A couple of original gift ideas include small pieces of rocks with pictures of Met\u00e9ora painted on them or hand-painted bottles with religious images.\u00a0 We were told that these are all painted by monks and the candles are made by the nuns.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" vspace=\"5\" align=\"right\" width=\"90\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelsignposts.com\/Destination\/d\/37797-2\/AJP_3139.jpg?resize=90%2C110\" hspace=\"5\" alt=\"Aghia Triada, Monastery of Holy Trinity, Meteora\" height=\"110\" style=\"width: 90px; height: 110px\" title=\"Aghia Triada, Monastery of Holy Trinity, Meteora\" \/>From Roussano, you can look across to the other monasteries and the views are spectacular. Also, as the coach winds its way down the rock formation, you&#8217;ll also get more views of the other monasteries.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t forget to look out for Aghia Triada, the Monastery of Holy Trinity. For fans of James Bond, this monastery was a film location in the 1981 movie &#8220;For Your Eyes Only&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Helen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Met\u00e9ora is the second biggest and most important monastic complex in Greece.\u00a0 The first inhabitants of Met\u00e9ora were hermits.\u00a0 They settled here during the 11th century, living in hollows and fissures in the rock pinnacles.\u00a0 The word monahos, or monahia, means &#8216;the person who is alone&#8217;.\u00a0\u00a0 Some of these rock towers reach 550m above the [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-meteora-greece"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - 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