Greek Meteora, Magical Stone Pillar Towering

"Nothing is more strange and wonderful than this romantic region, other than all that I've seen. In. . . any other mountain areas I've been to, nothing compares with peaks incredible. "- Robert Curzon, travelers from the United Kingdom, 1849.

WE really made stunned by the sights that we saw as we approached the small town and village Kastraki Kalabaka nearby, which is located in the plains of Thessaly, Greece. This is where there is a "forest" of stone, which is the area with more than 20 giant stone pillar-set of steep rocks and separated towering hundreds of feet into the sky. Peaks crowned with monasteries that have a wooden porch and ornate roof.

This is called Meteora Greece, the proverbial rock and a unique natural tremendous human effort. "Meteora" -from the Greek word which means "built on land" -memaksudkan unique group of stone pillars and more than 30 monasteries are built on top of it. The average height of these stones is 300 meters, and the highest is 550 meters.

As we got closer, the shadow of the towering rocks is getting longer. Landscape of this unique area always change as the sun raises a variety of shade in between the stones. In winter, these giant boulders apparent looming, standing with a contrasting color on the rug snow.

How Formation

There is much speculation about how rocks in Meteora was formed. Many people believe that millions of years ago, the plain where the establishment of Meteora this is the foundation of a vast inland lake. According to one theory, the increase in the portion of the earth's crust on a large scale, somehow, causing these stones sticking up. Experiment magazine explains that some geologists believe "that these stones must have formed between 2000 and 1000 BC".

Robert Curzon, whose words are quoted at the outset, wrote about Meteora, "Fringe rocks apparently destroyed by earthquakes or swept away by the Flood, so all that remains is a series. . . high rocks, slim, smooth, like a needle. "It's interesting, ancient Greek mythology also connect the formation of Thessaly Mountains with a flood, or a flood, caused by the dewa.-Genesis 6: 1-8: 22.

Convent-monastery Sky

No matter how Meteora is formed, since the ninth century AD, these stones have drawn attention. The mountain climbers today, which climb Meteora with special equipment, may be able to really appreciate the work of ancient ascetics who lived in caves and rock crevices. How do monasteries are built on rocks that hardly can be achieved is still debated.

How did the ancient ascetic it can go up and down from their high monastery? Well, as stated by the book-The Rock Meteora Monasteries of Thessaly, 'they can with difficulty using a wooden ladder lowered from the top of a cliff or transported in nets derived from a pulley in a monastery on it. Whatever is used, the visitors have to believe in the friars and the system is up and down those who doubt '. When asked how often rope nets it replaced, a former abbot reportedly said, 'Only if the cords are broken. "Until 1925, then made stairs carved in stone, so that people can more easily reach the monastery.

The first recluse who climb these pillars is Varnavas, who did it at a time between the years 950 and 965 AD, and Andronikos from Crete, in the year 1020. The other monks from all over the Byzantine followed, so that the amount of the monastery on top of the stones increased to 33. At the 16th century and into the 17th, the community of monks reached its heyday, but, since then, where they continued to decline.

"Look at us now!" Shouted a head of one of the monastery. "Ah,. . . young people are not interested anymore to our lives! "Yes, only six monasteries, two inhabited by nuns, which is still used. Monastery complexes that are no longer used can be found on a variety of rock Meteora.

Exhibition Rich Culture

Now, monasteries stone is one of the most interesting cultural sites in Greece. According to the Organization of Education, Science, and Culture of the United Nations, the monastery at the top of this rock is a unique cultural heritage. More recently, the Greek government keen to preserve the cultural treasures of the Meteora. Buildings and renovated museums have been opened to tourists. Any that are in there?

Well, in addition to objects such as statues portable, priest robes, and music codices, these buildings contain biblical manuscripts and rare historic. Among them is the parchment Codex 591, dating from AD 861-62, which contains interpretations of the Bible book of Matthew.

Yes, the raw power of nature has formed a unique landscape. If someday you visit Greece, why not include Meteora into your travel agenda? And, make sure you bring a supply of movies that much because you will be compelled to frequent use your camera.

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