Oh, the places you will go!!!!

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Dr. Seuss said it best, " Oh, the places you will go." Today I went to a place I'd never heard of that has been in existence since the 9th Century A.D. It is Meteora, which means "suspended in the air." There are a series of monasteries perched atop pinnacles that rise 1,000 feet above the valley. The rocks sit between the Thessalian plain in the east and the Pindos mountains in the west. 30 million years ago the entire valley was under a lake. Earthquakes left the sandstone rocks which now form these strange peaks.

In the 9 th century monks sought refuge from invaders( those pesky Turks) in the caves of Meteora. Since they believed that the higher up you got the closer to heaven you were these rocks/caves fit their needs. Well, we all know how dreary living in a cave can be so in the 15th and 16th centuries the monks built fantastic monasteries on the top of the rocks. They called in painters to create frescoes. They devoted themselves to copying ancient manuscripts, to carving wooden crosses, portable icons, and other religious articles. In all 24 were built but only 6 are in operation today.

Interesting tidbits: the first monks climbed up the rocks. Later in the 20th century the only access was by means of long ladders or a basket or a net suspended on ropes from a winch which was mounted on a winching tower over the valley below. Travelers claimed the ropes were not replaced until they broke. That sure would cut down on tourism! The monasteries were bombarded during WW 2 and abandoned until the 50's when some nuns took over the Roussanou monastery. The James Bond film " For Your Eyes Only" was shot in Meteora at the Holy Trinity monastery.

My hotel looks out in the rocks and monasterie. It is a spectacular setting. Who knew?????

Carolyn/ Gunga

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Meteora
So many places so little time.

[Frankardenas]

I´d like to go
It looks so out of nowhere, and I´d like to be suspended there for some time in a quest for inspiration. Glad you did it.