Magnificent Meteora

A trip to Meteora offers the unique experience of nature’s grandeur in conjunction with history and architecture. The gigantic rocks of Meteora are perched above the town of Kalabaka. The most interesting summits are decorated with historical monasteries, included in the World Heritage List of Unesco. The six still existing monasteries offers an exceptional view over this rare rock formation.

Monastery of Great Meteoron

SpottingHistory.com - photo by oriana.italy
Photo copyright oriana.italy
The Monastery of Great Meteoron is the largest of the monasteries located at Meteora, though in 2015 there were only 3 monks in residence.

Varlaam Monastery

SpottingHistory.com - photo by alpenglowtravelers
Photo copyright alpenglowtravelers
The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second biggest monastery in Meteora. It is located opposite of the Great Meteoron Monastery and it was founded in the mid-14th century by the exercitant Hosios Varlaam.

Roussanou Monastery

SpottingHistory.com - photo by Nathalie Stravers
Photo copyright Nathalie Stravers

The Monastery of Roussanou was founded in the middle of the 16th century. Compared to other rocks where monasteries were built, the one of Roussanou has a lower elevation, which makes it more accessible. The monastery was initially founded by monks and it suffered severe damage during World War II. It became a convent in 1988. The beautiful wall-paintings of the Catholicon were executed in 1560, when the priest-monk Arsenios was the abbot of the monastery. The unknown hagiographer seems to have been a very skilful artist and successfully follows the Cretan School style.

Meteora

SpottingHistory.com - photo by Andy Montgomery
Photo copyright Andy Montgomery
Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. It is located near the town of Kalambaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains.

Holy Trinity Monastery

SpottingHistory.com - photo by vasso -mil. Greece
Photo copyright vasso -mil. Greece
The Holy Trinity Monastery (also known as Agia Triada) is situated at the top of a rocky precipice over 400 metres high and forms part of 24 monasteries which were originally built at Meteora. The church was constructed between the 14th and 15th centuries and is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites titled Meteora.

St. Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery

SpottingHistory.com - photo by Ava Babili
Photo copyright Ava Babili
St. Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery is one of six monasteries built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area of Meteora.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders
Photo from Flickr, copyright radoslaw.maciejewski

Historic Site of the week

Ogrodzieniec Castle Ruins

Ogrodzieniec Castle is a ruined medieval castle originally built in the 14th–15th century by the W³odkowie Sulimczycy family. Established in the early 12th century, during the reign of Boles³aw III Wrymouth, the first stronghold was razed by the Tatars in 1241. In the mid-14th century a new gothic castle was built here to accommodate the Sulimczycy family. Surrounded by three high rocks, the castle was well integrated into the area. The defensive walls were built to close the circuit formed by the rocks, and a narrow opening between two of the rocks served as an entrance.

In 1470 the castle and lands were bought by the wealthy Cracovian townsmen, Ibram and Piotr Salomon. Then, Ogrodzieniec became the property of Jan Feliks Rzeszowski, the rector of Przemy¶l and the canon of Cracow. The owners of the castle about that time were also Jan and Andrzej Rzeszowskis, and later Pilecki and Che³miñski families. In 1523 the castle was bought by Jan Boner.

Map Top Sites Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Upload new site
© 2025 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.