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GREECE: Meteora, Mt. Olympus

15 images Created 10 Apr 2012

View Tom Dempsey's images of Greek Orthodox monasteries perched on weirdly eroded pinnacles at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Each of the following pictured monasteries were built on rock pinnacles during the Middle Ages: Grand Meteora Monastery (Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron, built in mid 1300s), Varlaam Monastery (built in 1517), Saint Nicholas Anapafsa Monastery (Agio Nikolaou Anapafsa, built in 1500s), Roussanou Monastery (Holy Monastery of St. Barbara, built in 1545 and now hosts a Greek Orthodox Convent). Wander Kastraki village to admire fascinating weathered buildings, doors, and unusual geology.
A 3 hour drive west from Meteora takes you to Litohoro village where you can hike up Mount Olympus (2918 meters or 9568 feet elevation), highest peak in Greece, via an overnight hut. At Litohoro, see the Roman Baths dating from 200 AD at Ancient Dion which, at the foot of Mount Olympus, was the sacred city of the Macedonians, who worshipped Olympian gods.

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  • Varlaam Monastery was founded on a rock pinnacle in 1517 AD at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-06_Varlaam-Monastery-_rock-...jpg
  • Varlaam Monastery was founded on a rock pinnacle in 1517 AD at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-43-27_Varlaam-Monastery.jpg
  • Stepping stones lead to an old wood door with faded orange stain and blue green trim, in Kastraki, Meteora, Greece.
    01GRE-42-20_MDS-brown-door-turquoise...jpg
  • Fantastic rock spires of Meteora rise above a blue house with red tile roof in Kastraki, near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    01GRE-41-35_Blue-house-Meteora-pinna...jpg
  • Old wood door with faded yellow paint, in Kastraki, Meteora, Greece.
    01GRE-42-04_mottled-door.jpg
  • A grape vine grows across doors and windows of an old cracking stucco house in Kastraki, Meteora, Greece, Europe.
    01GRE-41-36_Old_house-doors-windows-...jpg
  • Mount Olympus (2918 meters or 9568 feet elevation), highest peak in Greece, rises high above Litohoro village. The ancient Greeks considered awesome Mount Olympus to be the home of the god Zeus. Mount Olympus was declared the first national park of Greece in 1937. It is 100 kilometers southwest of Thessaloniki. Mount Olympus has eight peaks including the "Throne of Zeus" (2909 metres) and Mytikas (2919 metres, the highest summit). Mytikas, the highest of several summits on Mount Olympus, was never climbed until 1913 by a native of Litohoro and two Swiss climbers. Hiking season runs June through October. The hut will be most crowded in July and August, when advance reservations are most necessary. May through mid-June have the best climate, not overly hot. Visit the EOS (Greek Alpine Club) office in Litohoro for details of trails, mountain refuge reservations, and advice about weather conditions. In May 2001, Carol and I attempted to reach one of two summits (Mytikas, or the easier Skolio) with our excellent climbing guide Michalis (Mike) Vasileiou from Robinson Expeditions, but he wisely stopped our group due to slippery fresh snowfall and fog 300 feet short of the top.
    01GRE-45-27_Litohoro-Mt-Olympus.jpg
  • At Litohoro, Greece, see a circular mosaic with triangular patterns dating from 200 AD at the Roman Baths at Ancient Dion which, at the foot of Mount Olympus, was the sacred city of the Macedonians, who worshipped Olympian gods.
    01GRE-45-17_mosaic-Roman-Bath-Ancien...jpg
  • Roussanou Monastery (Holy Monastery of St. Barbara) was founded in 1545 AD and now hosts a Greek Orthodox Convent at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-19_Roussanou-Monastery-rock...jpg
  • Grand Meteora Monastery (Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron) was built in the mid 1300s on a rock pinnacle in Greece, Europe. It was restored and embellished in 1483 and 1552, and is the largest monastery at Meteora. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-10_Grand-Meteora-Monastery.jpg
  • Fantastic rock spires of Meteora rise above Kastraki, near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-41-16_rock-formations-Meteora.jpg
  • Varlaam Monastery was founded on a rock pinnacle in 1517 AD at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-43-36_Varlaam-Monastery-Meteor...jpg
  • Saint Nicholas Anapafsa Monastery (Agio Nikolaou Anapafsa) was built in the 1500s on a rock pinnacle at Meteora, Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-44-09_Anapafsa-Monastery.jpg
  • Fantastic rock spires of Meteora rise above a house in Kastraki, near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-41-23_house_rock-towers-Meteor...jpg
  • The weird rock spires of Meteora rise above the village of Kastraki, near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. Meteora (which means "suspended in the air") is a complex of six Eastern Orthodox Christian monasteries built by medieval monks on natural rock pillars near Kalambaka, in central Greece, Europe. The sandstone and conglomerate of Meteora were formed in the cone of a river delta estuary emerging into a sea about 60 million years ago, then later uplifted and eroded into pinnacles. The isolated monasteries of Meteora helped keep alive Greek Orthodox religious traditions and Hellenic culture during the turbulent Middle Ages and Ottoman Turk occupation of Greece (1453-1829). UNESCO honored Meteora as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Visit early in the morning and in the off season to avoid crowds.
    01GRE-43-22_Kastraki-village-weird-r...jpg
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