Meteora - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Brief synthesis

Meteora is a collection of monasteries in the centre of mainland Greece. In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these “heavenly columns” from the 11th century onwards. Twenty-four of these monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the hermitic ideal in the 15th century. They provide an excellent example of monastic architecture.

Hermits and ascetics began settling in this extraordinary area probably in the 11th century. In the late 12th century, a small church called the Panaghia Doupiani or "Skete" was built at the foot of one of these “heavenly columns”, where monks had already taken up residence. During the fearsome time of political instability in 14th-century Thessaly, monasteries were systematically built on top of the inaccessible peaks and, towards the end of the 15th century, there were 24 of them. Many of them were built or renovated during the 16th century, a period of prosperity and flourishing of monasticism at Meteora.

Famous painters came to the Meteora Monasteries, such as Theophanes the Cretan and Frangos Katelanos, with expertise on the Paleologan models of the Byzantine Art. They painted the churches and laid the foundations of the Post Byzantine wall painting, even though the influences and the borrowings of the Italian Art were severe. Theophanes the Cretan painted in the Monastery of Saint Nikolas Anapafsas in 1527. He was considered the ‘founder of the Cretan School of painting’. The 16th century frescoes of the Monasteries mark a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting. The Meteora Monasteries continued to flourish until the 17th century. Today, only four monasteries – the Aghios Stephanos, the Aghia Trias, Varlaam and the Meteoron – still house religious communities.

Meteora is one of those places where natural and cultural elements come together in perfect harmony to create a natural work of art on a monumental, yet human scale.

Criterion (i): “Suspended in the air” (the meaning of Meteora in Greek), these monasteries represent a unique artistic achievement and are one of the most forceful examples of the architectural transformation of a site into a place of retreat, meditation and prayer.

Criterion (ii): The frescoes executed in 1527 by Theophanes the Cretan became the basic reference of the fundamental iconographic and stylistic features of post-Byzantine painting, which exerted widespread, long-lasting influence.

Criterion (iv): The Meteora provide an outstanding example of the types of monastic construction which illustrate a significant stage in history, that of the 14th and 15th centuries when the hermitic ideals of early Christianity were restored to a place of honour by monastic communities, both in the western world (in Tuscany, for example) and in the Orthodox church.

Criterion (v): Built under impossible conditions, with no practicable roads, permanent though precarious human habitations subsist to this day in the Meteora, but have become vulnerable under the impact of time. The net in which intrepid pilgrims were hoisted up vertically alongside the 373-meter cliff where the Varlaam monastery dominates the valley symbolizes the fragility of a traditional way of life that is threatened with extinction.

Criterion (vii): The property lies within, and is surrounded by, an area of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. Rising over 400 m above ground level, the sandstone peaks on which the monasteries are perched were created 60 million years ago from deltaic river deposits. These have subsequently been transformed by earthquakes and sculpted by rain and wind into a variety of spectacular shapes.

Integrity

The monument includes all elements necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value as it retains to a large extent its initial cultural and natural features. The cultural integrity of the monument is still intact and the wealth of relics is very well preserved. It is also of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes which convey the property’s significance. It is possible that natural threats, such as extreme weather or earthquakes, could damage the property. The outstanding landscape remains intact, while deterioration due to natural causes is limited. Human activities and land use which could potentially affect the property include tourism, agriculture, forestry, building and other infrastructure works, waste management, quarrying, hunting and sports activities.

Authenticity

The monument preserves, to a large extent, its authenticity. The restoration of the Meteora monasteries is carried out on the basis of studies approved by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The interventions aim at the restoration and consolidation of the buildings as well as the improvement of the living conditions within the monastic community. Restorations were made in the main church (katholikon) of the monasteries and in other buildings, some of which were converted into museums. Restorations are carried out, where possible, according to traditional forms and techniques. The conservation of the frescoes decorating the walls of the monasteries contributes to the enhancement of their features.

Protection and management requirements

The property is protected by the provisions of the Law 4858/2021 “Ratification of the Code of legislation for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general”, and by separate ministerial decrees published in the Official Government Gazette. Protection and management are carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Sports through the responsible regional service (Ephorate of Antiquities of Trikala). The monastic communities of the six monasteries cooperate with the Ministry of Culture and Sports in the management of the property. This means that any building activity must be approved by the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

For natural values, a draft proposal for the delimitation and designation of the area of Meteora as a protected area exists, as well as a draft Presidential Decree to declare the area under protection order, in accordance with article 21 of the Law 1650/86 “On the protection of the environment”. This same draft Decree delimits individual buffer zones and defines the terms and limitations for projects and activities in these zones. While a Special Environmental Study for the Meteora – Antichasia area has been produced, the establishment of a management body, on the basis of the Law 2742/99, and elaboration and implementation of a Management Plan for the area is needed. To implement this legislation the institutional framework for the protection and management of the natural environment of the area requires strengthening. Currently the Forest Inspection Office is in charge of the overall management of the natural environment of the region, while the Ministry of Culture and Sports (through the Ephorate of Antiquities of Trikala) is responsible for the protection of monuments and indirectly of the environment both in core and buffer zones by implementing the Law 4858/2021 “Ratification of the Code of legislation for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general”.

Based on its important botanical and zoological values, Meteora is part of the Natura 2000 protected area network (GR1440003/2000). Laws at national and international level protect the multitude of endemic and endangered species occurring in the property.

Restoration works are mainly financed by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, by co-financed European programmes and to a smaller degree by the monasteries themselves that also issue the entrance tickets. Access to the property and the connection between the monasteries has been improved, thereby contributing to the increase in visitors.

Tourism is the main source of income for the local economy, with some 200,000 visitors (mainly from the USA, Europe and eastern countries) per year. Although there is considerable pressure due to increasing numbers of tourists (mainly camping), as well as development pressure related to major works such as road construction, installation of mobile telephone stations and creation of dams (that may be performed in the future), the Ministry of Culture and Sports controls all these activities. The monasteries control the number of visitors-pilgrims by limiting the visiting hours.

Any interventions deemed necessary for the creation of more space require Government authorization, which is based on relevant studies. The Government thoroughly monitors the implementation of these changes.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection is the competent body for the implementation of the General Plan for the effective confrontation of natural disasters at a national level. The Prefecture of Trikala in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Trikala deal with potential emergencies at a local level.