Meteora, Greece’s city in the sky

Meteora is, after the Holy Mountain, the largest and constant presence since the establishment of the first ascetics today monasteries in Greece. From the historical evidence suggests that the monasteries of Meteora were thirty in total. Of these thirty monasteries six are in operation today and receive many pilgrims. There are also many smaller monasteries abandoned. Most of them were founded in the 14th century.

In the 14th century, Saint Athanasios the Meteorite, set up the first organized monastic priory with regulations and organized according to typical organized monasteries of Mount Athos.

Meteora was named by Saint Athanasius of Meteora Monastery of the Great Meteoro. Since then, over the Acropolis came and settled Monks and Nuns, who toil day and night work, fasting, vigil, not only for their own salvation but for the salvation of all people with long prayers and supplications.

The six visited monasteries of Meteora, is now restored and preserved for the most part in the mural decoration. In 1989, Unesco inscribed Meteora in the list of World Heritage Monuments, as a particularly important cultural and natural property.

Theopetra Kalambakas

Built on the banks of Lithaiou (180 meters) 5 km away from Kalambaka.About 600 inhabitants engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. The old name of the village was "kouveltsi" found on Golden Bull of Emperor Andronikos Palaiologos, the year 1336. The kouveltsi renamed "Theopetra" place name associated with the size of the rock "stone" which, according to tradition, was so great that "touched God." During the Ottoman rule was the seat of the local Aga.

   To the north of the village, rises the rocky top of Petra and slightly below, the Litheon river, between stone, stretching plane area 300 acres at the foot of "stone" is the picturesque church of St. Nicholas, while the view from the this is amazing, especially at sunset. Interestingly, the church of St. Athanasius (1876), with a sizeable wooden temple.

   The cave of Theopetra located on the northeast side of rocky limestone volume (the 'Muti') on a hill at the foot of which lies the village. This cave in the Middle Paleolithic period (40,000 BC), surface 600sq.m with stalactites. 2 have been found human skeletons, aged 14,500 years and 8500 respectively as well as other kinds of life that dates back to age some 50,000 years BC, and excavations continue. In common store collected and classified all sorts of discoveries. The visit becomes possible, after consultation with the responsible officer of the Archaeological Service.

   Celebrations take place during Holy Week. The young people of the village gather holly and other woods for the lighting of the Great Fire, the lamp in the evening of the Resurrection at the top of the rock Stone. The fire was visible from a distance. On Easter Sunday the events culminating in the central square, with municipal;; folk dance groups from local traditional costumes.