Tuesday 7 April 2015

ABC Wednesday, M for Meteora

 

By enlarging the photos you see more details. 

 Nearer to Heaven.....

 

 High on the steep rocks of  the Meteora area there are some monasteries and a nunnery.In the middle ages there were more of these buildings but now there are 6 monasteries left.

There were no stairs at the time to climb the rocks. Whatever the monks needed  was put in a big net and the contents were pulled up. Even the monks were pulled up by this net.  It was not until 1922 that stairs were hewn in the rocks, so that pelgrims could safely climb to the monasteries.  I still don't know how they got enough water for bathing and washing clothes.






Being nearer to God....













Wikipedia:"The Metéora meaning "middle of the sky", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above", is one of the largest and most important complexes of Greek Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos."
Originally there were 21 monasteries on the rocks of Meteora, but six of them are left. The six monasteries still function today.

Monastery of Varlaam

 

 

 








This post is dedicated to the letter M, and we thank Mrs. Denise Nesbitt for creating this meme. You can participate in this game. You only should find a photo or a subject in poetry or the name of a famous person....beginning with M


 

 

We visited the Holy Monastery of the great Meteoron( The Transfiguration of Our Saviour.)






Monastery of the Holy Trinity        

25 comments:

Sylvia K said...

These are incredible, Wil!! I'm totally in awe and your captures are superb!! So much beauty and history!! Thank you SO much for sharing these with us!! Hope you have a wonderful week!!

Dina said...

A marvelous place!

lotusleaf said...

Imagine being pulled up a craggy mountain in a net! Those monks must have been really brave. Very interesting post.

photowannabe said...

Oh my! Heights and me don't get along too well.
I don't think I would ever make it up there.
With my "gimpy" knee I on't think I could actually get back down either.
Beautiful pictures of an amazing place. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

Schitterende foto's weer zeg wow

de 1e 4 doen me denken aan een james bond film.... for your eyes only

Zal wel niet.

Fijne dag en week.

Jane Hards Photography said...

That's a photographers dream location, though you'd need to be healthy for the climb,

Photo Cache said...

So envious of your experience. In my bucket list.

My ABC WEDNESDAY

Anonymous said...

Yikes! So beautiful and unusual! Love it!

Roger Owen Green said...

that is one incredible rock face!

ROG, ABCW

Obsessivemom said...

You make Greece look stunningly beautiful.

A Colorful World said...

Wow! Fascinating post of a really amazing place! Great photos! I wouldn't have made it up ten steps, though! :-(

Lea said...

Very interesting!
Lovely scenery!

Joy said...

I've been there and your photographs show it off perfectly, its fascinating place.
BTW I have no idea about the difference between Calvinism and Methodism beyond always thinking of Calvinism as more austere. Also Methodists don't believe in predestination which I seem to remember Calvinism does. I'm a lapsed Congregationalist myself so must plead ignorance but do find all the schisms fascinating.

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

I knew that monasteries were often in secluded places, but having to be lifted to it on a net is just amazing. It truly would make you feel as in Heaven being up that high. You were wondering about water, but I was also wondering about how they got the construction materials up there. I hope I get to visit places like this someday. Blessings!

betty-NZ said...

What amazing places on such a precarious place! I'm glad they put steps in so we can enjoy the beauty of it all.

Meoww said...

How did they ever build it in the first place? wow!!! Awesome place. I would love to climb up all the way one day!

Ann said...

Wow, that net ride could would be the scariest at the amusement park. I would not make it. The pictures are so beautiful.
Ann

Anita (Rosy) said...

Looking at that net and then using my imagination at what it used to be like for them monks being bagged up to the top must of been pretty scary on their first ride up or down. "Love the history here"

Beloo Mehra said...

Some fascianting pictures there! Thanks for sharing. Just a look at those make me want to go and experience the place myself.

Trubes said...

Hi Wil:
I can't believe that I've not visited you for M until now (leaving the best until last)!
But Wow!
What an amazing post with stunning scenes of the Mountain top Monasteries. I wouldn't fancy being hoisted up a mountain, must be a peaceful life living on top of a mountain...
'Nearer my God to me, nearer to thee'.
One my favourite Hymns.
We seem to have similar themes of late, which is good.
Have a lovely weekend,
Best wishes,
Di.
ABCW team.

Vagabonde said...

Avec notre vie actuelle qui va si vite, c’est difficile d’imaginer de vivre en haut d’une montagne comme ils le font. La vue doit être magnifique.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Beautiful and hard to imagine how they could possibly have done that (let themselves be lifted up -- and yes, I wonder about water too.) Amazing place and something I have never ever heard of before. You always expand my knowledge!

I am sorry I was not able to wish you a Happy Easter as we were away from the computer for a week.

Berowne said...

Terrific pix in a terrific post.

Anonymous said...

My big question is how you all got up to the castle? It seems a long way to walk ...That net was an ingenious solution!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Thank you for pointing me in the direction of this post, Wil. I had never heard of the Meteora. How fascinating!

Ønsker deg en god dag - Norwegian this time! :)