Fittingly named after meteora, Greek for “suspended in air,” this collection of 16 monasteries hovers atop astonishing pillars of rock. Ropes and pulleys were used for supplies, and ladders could be pulled up in case of attack. Remote and unbreachable, they helped to keep alive the traditions of the Orthodox Church during the 500 years of Ottoman rule.
The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. Wikipedia