Greece is the home of Mt. Olympus and its resident gods as well as famous philosophers and other intellectuals who have helped shape much of modern thinking. Most tourists exploring Greece normally go to the usual landmarks, like the temples, amphitheaters, and other ancient monuments in Athens. However, Greece has so much more to offer than the sites in the ancient city of Athens as the country has had quite a long, rich history.

The monasteries of Meteora are a breathtaking group of structures that are perched on top of Meteora’s rock pinnacles. These monasteries were built in the 10^th to the 16^th centuries. In the 10^th century, several ascetics and hermits ascended Meteora’s rock peaks to seek solitude. A small church was built at the foot of one of the rock towers in the 12^th century, and by the 14^th century, several monasteries were built on the peaks. During this period, the monasteries served as places of refuge from invading Turks who ravaged the area. At the end of the 15^th century, a total of 24 monasteries were built. These monasteries thrived in the 15^th and 16^th centuries but experienced a decline by the 17^th century when the monks’ population diminished to a third of its original size.

At present, only 6 of the original 24 monasteries remain. These majestic monasteries never fail to puzzle and amaze visitors since they were built on top of peaks that are seemingly impossible to access. On top of this, they were built in an age when there was no machinery that could haul building materials up to the peaks of the pinnacles.