atlasobscura:Meteora is a monastery complex in Kalabaka, Greece, perched on rock pillars, once acces
atlasobscura:Meteora is a monastery complex in Kalabaka, Greece, perched on rock pillars, once accessible only by frayed ropes. The name Meteora means “suspended in the air” or “suspended rocks” and it is appropriate. Wind, water, and the harsh temperatures have carved out the series of gigantic sandstone pillars on which these buildings were constructed, some of them hundreds of meters high. To gain access to the monasteries one originally had to climb a series of ladders tied together or be dragged up via a large net. According to the monks the ropes up to Meteora were only replaced “when the Lord let them break.” Today steps have been carved into the rock and a bridge built from a nearby plateau. : Photo by Vaggelis Vlahos. -- source link