The lesser known and mysterious monasteries of Meteora!
Between heaven and earth! Suspended in the air!
The stone forest of Meteora!
Οver 40 monasteries, sketes and hermitages!
Over 118.000 words!
Over 650 pictures!
Meteora is a cluster of a thousand small or larger rocks that rise over the town of Kalabaka, Thessaly, Greece, Europe. Meteora is also the name given to the monasteries which, from the 14th century, began to be built up on the steep and imposing rocks. Until 18th century there had been built and (at times) been inhabited by monks over 40 monasteries, sketes or hermitages. Today monks lead a monastic life in some of them, while the rest have been deserted, although some have started been rebuilt and re-inhabited by monks.
The complex of Meteora monasteries, second only to Mount Athos most important monastic complex in Greece, was included in the 1988 list of World Heritage of UNESCO.
In the app iMeteora (i stands for the word ιερός / holy: ιερά Μετέωρα=Holy Meteora) you will find in this edition some information for the six largest and inhabited monasteries; more details will be available in future updates. But you will find whatever information is available from sources about the lesser known and mysterious monasteries of Meteora.
We believe that you will find the sections about the creation of Meteora rocks as a geological phenomenon as well as the general history of all monasteries very useful.
In the audiovisual sector, effort was made to accompany the modules with the necessary photos, completing the impression that the user obtains by reading the text. The section with videos and the rest of audiovisual material refers to Youtube, Vimeo and other similar services, in order to keep within reasonable limits the MB of app. In future updates there will be free in-app purchases to download more videos.
We are already working on future upgrades in the field of Augmented Reality, to give the opportunity to turn your phone or your tablet to a monastery or rock, see it on the display, and by tapping it you will be transferred to the corresponding section of the app!
Also, in a future upgrade we will complement and improve the section on hiking trails in Meteora and climbing. About seven hundred climbing routes of all degrees of difficulty are already on the rocks of Meteora! We will host data and information on the name, the degree of difficulty, their geographical position, as well as photographs and audiovisual material.
For more information please visit http://www.vlioras.gr/Apps/iMeteoraEn.htm or contact us at [email protected]…
Spyridon Vlioras, Philologist - Kalabaka
General Editing: Cpt. Alexander Kalkanis, MD
Cover Photo: Athanasios Liapis, Doctor
© - All rights reserved
Did you know that…
…the Eyrie of Vale of the House of Arryn from Game of Thrones is based on Meteora?
…the monastery of Holy Trinity was a filming location in the 1981 James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only"?
…one of Meteora rocks looks like menhir of Obelix (from the comic The Adventures of Asterix / Astérix le Gaulois)?
…the monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas was an inspiration for St. Francis Folly in the computer game Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Anniversary?
…the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 DLC Map "Sanctuary" is set in the monasteries of the Meteora?
…the 2003 album by Linkin Park takes its name from the site?
More trivia in the app…!
Note 1: This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad, although by its nature is best seen on a larger screen…
Note 2: A book about less known and mysterious monasteries of Meteora will be released as soon as possible, both as ebook (iBookStore) and as printed…