PLAYED IN DAILY #5
Meteora
Unusual formation · Thessaly, Greece
THE STORY
Monasteries second only to Mount Athos
Meteora is a rock formation in Thessaly that hosts one of the most prominent complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, viewed locally as second only to Mount Athos. Its sandstone and conglomerate pillars were weathered out along vertical faults. The six extant monasteries were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.
Source: Wikipedia ↗Hermits from the 800s, monasteries from the 1300s
Hermit monks moved onto the pinnacles in the 800s CE. In 1344 Athanasios of Mount Athos brought followers, founding the Great Meteoron between 1356 and 1372, and at their 16th-century peak there were 24 monasteries. Access was originally by long ladders or by nets hauled up on ropes; steps were cut into the rock in the 1920s.
Source: Wikipedia ↗