Suspended in the sky

Meteora is a complex of Orthodox monasteries built atop natural rock towers in the region of Thessaly, central Greece, near the city of Kalambaka. From the Greek "Meteoros," it derives from the words "meta" and "aeiro," meaning "things suspended in the air" or "suspended in the sky."

The unique morphology of the site made it perfect for the isolation of monastic life. For this reason, since the 11th century, Orthodox hermits have taken refuge in the natural concavities of meteoric rocks to pray in solitude: they lived in natural ravines, in harsh conditions, completely isolated.

The first monastery was founded around 1340 by Athanasios Meteoritis. He built the Monastery of the Transfiguration (known today as Great Meteoron), modeling his practice on the monasteries of Mount Athos, where he came from. Meteora quickly became an important Orthodox monastic center, a spiritual and cultural refuge. Dionysios, an Orthodox bishop who played a key role in the protection and spiritual reorganization of the Meteora monasteries in the 18th century, wrote: "On these unreal rock pinnacles of Meteora, which rise to the heavens, the voice of God is clearly heard. Here one soars upward. One soars toward holy horizons."

Access to the monasteries was a real challenge, especially in ancient times. The monasteries' isolation was ensured by the difficulty of access, which could only be achieved by ropes, nets, and retractable ladders raised by hand. This served to protect against invaders and to keep monastic life separate from the outside world. In total, twenty-four monasteries were built atop these rocks. Currently, only six remain active and can be visited; the others are in ruins or have been destroyed. The monasteries contain important Byzantine frescoes, especially in the area of ​​the katholikon (the monasteries' main church), sacred icons, and ancient manuscripts.

The monks' lives are punctuated by prayer and work. Manual and artisanal activities are an integral part of life: icon making, embroidery, incense, gardening, and beekeeping for honey and candles. Since 1988, Meteora has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, both for its religious significance and the uniqueness of its natural landscape. Each year, they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and pilgrims, while remaining places of prayer, meditation, and silence.

The monasteries can be reached by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot. Today, access to the monasteries is via stairs carved into the rock. For the monks' needs, however, a series of steel cables carrying a small cable car crosses the chasm, connecting the monastery to the main road.

Text and photos by Maurizio Turinetto
NP PLUS November 2025