The sandstone peaks and monasteries of Meteora in central Greece were blanketed by snow on Friday morning, creating a rare and stunning spectacle.
Meteora is a huge rock formation which has on its slopes no less than 24 monasteries. The monasteries were built on the rocky outcrops of the mountain from the 14th until the 16th century, and six of them remain today to be explored and admired by travelers from all over the world.
The monasteries became centers of the Orthodox faith in the Byzantine era, and they produced some of the finest pieces of religious art in the world. Priceless illuminated manuscripts are also in the collections of the monasteries, and they can also be viewed today in their museums.
The Meteora monasteries have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their unique beauty and cultural importance. The entire Meteora-Antichassia region has also been officially declared a “Natura 2000 Ecological Zone” by the Greek Ministry of Environment in order to protect rare species of birds and flowers which live there.
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