Meteora- Kalambaka, Greece

This is one of the monasteries in 

Meteora, Kalambaka, Greece.

The 1981 James Bond movie- For Your Eyes Only

used this site, making this view even more famous.

This is the Agia Triada Monastery and is one of the the 6 

remaining Monasteries. 

Meteora means "suspended in air, 

lofty or elevated".

They date from the 14th and 15th centuries,

and are perched on top of natural sandstone rock pillars 

on the Thessaly plain.

 

A view as we leave the area.  

They are an engineering feat 

and we tried to imagine 

just getting the supplies up there.

There were originally 24 of the precariously 

built Eastern Orthodox monasteries.

Meteora was added to the 

UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 

because of the amazing architecture, beauty of the complex,

as well as the religious and artistic significance.

Internet photo

St. Stephan - Agios Stefanos

is the only monestery

 you can reach by bus. 

It is believed to have been built in the 14th century,

 but has a much newer katolikon  

structure built in 1798.

There is a museum, and workrooms for 

paintings embroidery,

 incense-making and needlework.

The frescoes in the church were done about 1545.

The structures were heavily bombed, and raided in WWII,

as they thought the monks were hiding refugees.

It was converted to a nunnery in 1961,

and 28 nuns were living there in 2015.

The entrance to St. Charalambos' Church 

has a bridge that allows access.

St. Charalambos Church

honors this early Christian saint from Magnesia, 

a city in Asia Minor. He was martyred 

during the reign of Septimius Severus in 202 AD.

The art is beautiful and so are the grounds and gardens.

This the stunning view from St. Stephan's 

overlooking the town of Kalabaka.

wikipedia 

There is something mystical about these holy places

 that reach to the sky.

The world is certainly shut out here 

to focus on worship and listening to God.

May all that visit here hear His calling.

May I be reminded to embrace the quiet

 to hear the "still small voice".