Megálou Meteórou (Great Meteoron) Next to Ayíou Nikoláou, on a slender shaft, perch the shattered fragments of Ayía Moní, abandoned after an earthquake in 1858. Beyond this, some 250m past the Ayíou Nikoláou stairs, a cobbled, partly shaded path (signposted for Varlaám) leads northwest from the road; fifteen minutes up this trail, bear right at a T-junction to reach Varlaám monastery in ten minutes, or left for Megálou Meteórou within ten slightly steeper minutes. There is no other direct route between the two (besides the unpleasantly cluttered access roads serving both).
The Megálou Meteórou (aka Metamorfóseos; summer Mon & Wed– Sun 9am–5pm; winter Mon & Thurs– Sun 9am–4pm) is the highest monastery, built on the Platýs Líthos ("Broad Rock") 615m above sea level. It enjoyed extensive privileges and dominated the area for centuries: in an eighteenth-century engraving (sold as a reproduction) it dwarfs its neighbours.
The monastery's cross-in-square katholikón, dedicated to the Transfiguration, is Metéora's most imposing; columns and beams support a lofty dome with a Pandokrátor. It was enlarged in the 1500s and 1600s, with the original chapel, constructed by the Serbian Ioasaph in 1383, now the ierón behind the intricately carved témblon. Frescoes, however, are much later (mid-sixteenth century) than at most other monasteries and artistically undistinguished; those in the narthex concentrate almost exclusively on grisly martyrdoms.
Elsewhere in this vast, arcaded cluster of buildings, the kellári (cellar) hosts an exhibit of rural impedimenta; in the domed, vaulted refectory, still set with the traditional silver/pewter table service for monastic meals, a museum features exquisite carved-wood crosses and rare icons. The ancient smoke-blackened kitchen adjacent preserves its bread oven and soup-hearth.
| Visiting Metéora's monasteries |
|
There are six major monasteries, keeping slightly different visiting hours/days. To see them all in one day, start early to take in Ayíou Nikoláou Anapavsá, Varlaám and Megálou Meteórou before 1pm, leaving the afternoon for Roussánou, Ayías Triádhos and Ayíou Stefánou.
The road from Kastráki to Ayíou Stefánou is nearly 10km, often narrow and dangerous with speeding cars; if you're on foot, follow the hiking directions – by using available trails and dirt tracks you avoid most of the asphalt. Ayíou Stefánou is in a cul-de-sac for both drivers and hikers; the through road signposted to Kalambáka just before Ayías Triádhos is a fairly indirect 6km. In season there are daily buses (usually at 9am and 1pm) from Kalambáka up the road as far as Megálou Meteórou/Varlaám; even taken just part-way, they will provide the necessary head start to make a hiking day manageable.
You may want a local map in addition to that provided opposite, especially if you intend to leave the beaten track; the only two products worth having are stocked at the recommended Kalambáka newsagent. The Panoramic Map with Geology (co-produced by Karto Atelier, Switzerland and Trekking Hellas) is fairly accurate despite its aerial-view format and sufficient to follow the main routes. Andonis Kaloyirou's The Footpaths of Meteora (Kritiki Editions), with topographic map included, is superior, the map alone worth the investment.
Before setting out, buy food and drink to last the day; there are only a few kantínas by Varlaám and Megálou Meteórou. Each monastery levies an admission charge – currently €2, with student discounts generally not given. All monasteries enforce a strict dress code: both sexes must cover their shoulders; women wear a long skirt not trousers; men, long trousers, not shorts. Skirts or wraps are often lent to female visitors, but don't rely on this. Finally, it's worth noting that photography and videoing are forbidden inside all monasteries.
Metéora is really best visited out of season, when the leaves turn or snow blankets the pinnacles. During midsummer, the commercialization, traffic and crowds (plus the shocking amount of roadside litter) detract from the wild, spiritual romance of the valley. In this period you're better off at less visited monasteries such as Ayíou Nikoláou or Ayías Triádhos.
|
|