Meteora - Μετέωρα

For ten days I was able to enjoy and admire a country that is so rich in culture. As we flew back to NY, I realized that although we visited several important and beautiful places in Greece, there were many cities and archeological sites we were not able to go to because of time and distance. One of the sites I would have loved to visit is Meteora.

Meteora means: ‘suspended rocks’ – ‘suspended in the air’ or ‘in the heavens above’.

This is one of the largest and most important sites of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries in Greece. There are six monasteries that are built on natural sandstone rock pillars.

This is the kind of place that even though you are not religious, you are going to want to visit. According to UNESCO, “these monasteries represent a unique artistic achievement and are one of the most powerful examples of the architectural transformation of a site into a place of retreat, meditation and prayer. The Meteora provide an outstanding example of the types of monastic construction which illustrate a significant stage in history, that of the 14th and 15th centuries when the eremitic ideals of early Christianity were restored to a place of honor by monastic communities, both in the Western world and in the Orthodox Church.”

From the pictures I got to see in the brochure and the ones I found on Google, this site looks breathtaking and picturesque! Looks like it is a great place for reflection and peace.