Greece Kalabaka/Meteora Monasteries

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Kalabaka is next to Meteora which has the Monasteries up on the rocks. The monasteries are really just amazing - they are part of the cliff. You can’t make out so clearly where the rock ends and the monastery building begins. They hang on these cliffs seemingly precariously except that they have been here for centuries and seen countless footsteps and are quite solid. There used to be more but now there are 6 left that are still occupied in some way - most are still working monasteries with churches/chapels and residents. Fortunately they allow visitors. There is a strict dress code - men must wear long pants and women must wear a long skirt and have their arms covered. They supply wraps at the gates for those who do not meet the dress code. 4 of 5 have a lot of stairs to get to them from where we can park - it ranged from 150 steps, the larger one had 270 steps and another had 150 down and 150 back up. There were small bridges that crossed over the gaps in the rocks and I think before these stairways were built, they used ladders to climb up and pulleys to haul things in.

I am uploading so many pictures here - it was too difficult to decide between them. Just when we thought we had enough pictures, we would see them from a different angle and be snapping more. Our first stop was the Roussonou Monastery and it was not too big. 150 steps and the views of course were fabulous. The chapel was also small and painted completely with murals that seemed to mostly depict all the horrible torture the monks were subjected to. These were not pleasant scenes. They were not so gruesome in the inner room. Of course we could not take pictures inside any of the chapels.

Second stop was the Great Meteora Monastery - definitely the largest. 270 steps for this Monastery and lots to see inside. I have included some courtyard pictures, a picture of the ancient kitchen, an area where they made wine. There was also a history museum that showed a lot from the Nazi occupation and their struggles for freedom and independence. There was a room set up with benches lining the walls where they obviously took their meals - the tables were well worn. We could hear some chanting monks at this monastery as well but respected their prayer and privacy and did not enter the chapel.
From this Monastery were also views of the others - probably labeled in the pictures.

A brief stop for spinach or cheese pie and water and we were on our way.

Next stop was Varlaam Monastery where they filmed the James Bond movie - so cool!!! In one of the pictures there is a rope hanging down and if I am remembering correctly, it was there that Bond climbed in… up in that room there is a turn-style with a rope on it that they used to haul things up - we assume baskets of supplies and not people!! Although they also modernized and had a metal cable and electronic pulley that was also on tracks. We could not see anything in action but it was still fascinating. In here we had a monk shadowing us- he was on his cell phone out in the courtyard which for some reason we found amusing. This monk (priest?) took a liking to us I guess… he was very friendly.
Also in this Monastery was one of the biggest casks/barrels I’ve ever seen! I assumed it was for wine but I didn’t ask and it wasn’t labeled. The chapel was pretty but crowded from a tour bus so we didn’t spend too much time inside there.

From here we had two photo stops on top of rocks- beautiful!! And then to the Holy Trinity Monastery that was actually closed on this day so we only stopped outside for pictures. This one had the 150 steps down and back up again and I think it looks the most amazing on top of it’s rock. I hope I was able to capture some of that in these photo’s. There was a tram on a cable traveling over the gap - scary!!

The last stop was a Nunnery - Agios Stefanos - closed for lunch at the time.

All in all the day was really wonderful. Great weather, amazing monasteries and scenery. As usual, the pictures do not do it justice. It just feels different to be standing in one of these places and looking down or out on the dramatic rocks and cliffs, also dotted with bright and beautiful wildflowers, with the sense of history and age around you.

And now on to Delphi.

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Photos

Rousson Monastery
Our first stop and worth the 150 steps of course. Very nice.

Meteora from below
The largest of the 6

Roussanou courtyard
Very pleasant - they all had these very nice courtyards- some big, some small.

Verlaam
see that little bridge that goes over the gap? a little bit scary :)

skulls and bones
I find this fascinating and not in the least gruesome. Skulls and bones are obviously carefully placed.

Ruins
You can just see the remains of a couple of the walls from a monastery.

Meteora courtyard
Another pleasing peaceful courtyard. So very nice.

Ancient kitchen
Ancient kitchen inside Meteora. Hearth and pot in foreground with pots/plates/utensils in back.

Wine casks - Meteora
Casks and bottles and a couple of small presses down below

Wine making equipment
in Meteora -a larger press and there was a HUGE cask/barrel to my right that you can not see. (the picture was a bit dark).

Verlaam
from the side

Verlaam
courtyard