The monasteries of Meteora are one of the most extraordinary sights in mainland Greece. Built into and on top of huge pinnacles of smooth rock, the earliest monasteries were reached by climbing articulated removable ladders. Later, windlasses were used so monks could be hauled up in nets, a method used until the 1920s.
The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the
northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and
Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka. The
Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List under criteria
I,II,IV,V. These days access to the monasteries is by steps hewn into the rocks and the windlasses are used only for hauling up provisions.
Meteora, Greece
