Μηθηωρα
Caves of Meteora
Useful Information
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History
Description
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| Image: this cave was used as a jail by the monasteries. |
The monasteries of Meteora are world famous, included on the World Heritage List
and visited by millions of people every year.
The main monasteries look like a theme park during day, of people brought by
coach in huge amounts.
They see the parking lot, the ancient wooden elevator, the many steps which are
used nowadays, the churches and probably even one of the secluded littÃķe
gardens, the monks used to produce some food.
Then the hurry to the next crowded monastery, and then back to the coach for the
journey back.
Its hard to visit Meteora on a day trip by coach from a tourist resort some 500
kilometers away.
If you are lucky, have your own car, take more time, at least two days.
If you stay for two nights at Kalambaka, right below the rocks, you may vist two
monasteries in the early morning and two in the afternoon.
Between 11 and 14 do the best alternative that exists: visit one of the fine
greek restaurants in Kalambaka and have an opulent lunch.
Not such an Anglo Saxon lunch with a few sandwiches, but a Greek lunch, with
grilled lamb, vegetables and a glass of wine.
The monasteries of Meteora are connected by a special road.
Like an M it starts three times from the valley at Kalambaka forming two bows up
at the hills behind the monasteries.
The three main caves are found at the middle road, right above Kalambaka.
The lowest is Agios Georgios Mandelas's cave, at the city limit to the
right.
Further up the road reaches the foot of the rock where the most important
monastery is built on.
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| Image: Agios Georgios Mandelas's cave. |
A really special cave is Agios Georgios Mandelas's cave.
This is a horizonal hole in the middle of a almost undisturbed, sleek cliff
face.
It is located at the middle road to the monasteries, right at the city limits of
Kalambake, much lower than the monasteries.
It looks rather small from the road, but some colourful flags can be seen from
far.
With binoculars it is possible to see that the cave is rather huge, huge enough
to build several houses inside.
This is the chapel of Agios Georgios Mandelas (Saint George with the
Handkerchiefs).
He lived in the 17th century, during the Turkish occupation of Greece.
A legend tells, that a local Muslim landowner cut some trees from the saint's
sacred forest.
In revenge Saint George paralysed the man's hand.
He offered the saint his wife's yashmak (veil), the most valuable gift a
Muslim can give.
The saint was pacified and cured the man.
In memory of that donation, worshippers hang huge pieces of cloth once a year on
a line supported by trees beside the cave's entrance.
Young men from Kalambaka compete in a climb up to the cave, using ropes.
They carry down parts of the cloth, which they keep in their homes as talismans
of good health.
Hanging multicoloured rags and ribbons from the branches of sacred trees is an
ancient health-seeking ritual, both in Greece and Cyprus.
It seems this is kind of rituals has survived until today in modern hospitals...
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| Meteora Caves Gallery |
See also
