the courtyard monastery saint nicholas meteora greece

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The courtyard of the monastery of Saint Nicholas in Meteora, Greece Royalty Free Stock Photo

Cat at the monastery of St. Stephen on a sunny day Royalty Free Stock Photo

The courtyard of the monastery of Saint Nicholas in Meteora, Greece

Meteora, in Greek, hovering in the air, are rocks consisting of a mixture of sandstone and clastic rock and reaching a height of 600 m above sea level, in the mountains of Thessaly in northern Greece, in the north of the peripheral unit of Trikala of the periphery of Thessaly, 1-2 km north of the city of Kalambaka (formerly Stagi). They have been known since the 10th century, along with Athos, as one of the centers of Orthodox monasticism in Greece. In 1988, the monasteries located on the tops of the rocks were included in the list of World Heritage Sites. The rocks were formed more than 60 million years ago and were the rocky bottom of a prehistoric sea, located in the place of the plain. In total, throughout history, according to various sources, there were 22 or 24 monasteries along with many single cells, askitaria, chapels, sketes, caves, hermitages, pillars scattered throughout the Meteorite mountains. Some of the monasteries have been preserved as ruins. Today there are only six monasteries: four for men and two for women.