modern history. With an average elevation of 313m (1027ft), the Meteora rocks stand proudly at the centre of an
extraordinarily beautiful Greek landscape, housing 24 monasteries in total, of which 6 remain active. Inscribed on
the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, Meteora attracts tourists to the region in their thousands each year.
History of Meteora
The name, ‘Meteora’ stems from the Greek adjective, meteoros, which means ‘middle of the sky’. Aptly named,
the rock formations of Meteora jut out of the ground like giant fingers made of stone, allowing the various
monasteries to sit, suspended in the air. It has taken millions of years for various forces of nature to sculpt
out these unique rock pillars. Geologists believe that this process began approximately 60 million years ago
during the Palaeogene period.
As early as the 11th century, monks occupied the caverns of Meteora. However, monasteries were not built until
the 14th century, when the monks sought somewhere to hide in the face of an increasing number of Turkish
attacks on Greece. At this time, access to the top was via removable ladders or windlass. Nowadays, getting up
is a lot simpler due to steps being carved into the rock during the 1920’s. Of the 24 monasteries, only 6
(five male, one female) are still functioning, with each housing less than 10 individuals.
