Meteora

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This article is about the Greek Orthodox monasteries. For the Linkin Park album, see Meteora (album).

The Meteora (Greek: Μετέωρα, "levitating") are monasteries in north-east Greece on the edge of the Pindus Mountains, built on spectacular natural rock pillars. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are located at Template:Coor dms.

The cloisters were started in the 15th century as places of refuge in troubled times and access to them was extremely difficult, requiring either long ladders lashed together or a windlass and rope pulling up a net, for goods and humans.

Image:Meteora distant larger 01.jpg

In about the 1920s there was an improvement in the arrangements. Steps were cut in the rock that could be reached by rather flimsy bridges from the nearest solid rock. It is difficult to imagine how the monasteries were built on their pinnacles in the first place. Only a few of them are left now, tended by a few monks and nuns and visited by many tourists, hence the monastries now serve as museums.

The Agia Triada (Greek: Αγία Τριάδα, "Holy Trinity") monastery was used in the final scenes of the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only.

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