The Holy Monastery of Great Meteora 

 Monastery of the Transfiguration, also known as the Great Meteor, was founded by Athanasius Meteorskim around 1340 ..

Monastery of Transfiguration of Our Lord once called "» Platýs Líthos " (large stone), but it Athanasius (later St. Athanasius Meteorsky) renamed it "Meteoron" (which hangs in the air) due to the fact that it was located on the highest of all the rocks around.   

The rock upon which was built a monastery, located on the western edge of the array of stone and is the largest among them. This rock has a height of 619 meters above sea level and 416 meters from the river Pineos. The area of ​​the rocks of about 6 hectares. With the rise of rock has an elevation of 250 meters, and 115 steep and not equal to the height of the steps leading to the entrance to the monastery.

The first hermits climbed up the rocks with the permuted scaffold, fixed on the beams, which are hammered into the holes in the rock. Up to this day preserved traces of the scaffolding. Later stage were replaced with huge pendulous stairs, which caused dizziness in going through them. Those who dared to climb the stairs suspended, lifted up on the grid. Since 1923, the small tunnel and 146 steps cut into the rock, make it easier to lift.
The length of the monastery complex 42 meters, width of 24 m.

The central cathedral of the monastery is called the universal and founded in honor of the Transfiguration of Christ. Cross-shaped is a vaulted church with a dome twelve sided (height at the center 24 m) and lateral recesses. Divided into outer nave aisle and the main temple altar, representing a sample of the 2nd and 3rd periods of Byzantine architecture.

Chancel is a small cross-shaped vaulted church, which has lost its nave, was built when the main cathedral. Its length is 10 meters and it was built before 1382 St. Athanasius. 

Later, in 1388, a monk of St. Joasaph expanded it. The inscription on the eastern wall of the altar reads: "Erected to the basement and built this divine and inspiring respect for the temple of the Lord God - Jesus Christ, effort and money to his Eminence the father of St. Athanasius and St. Joasaph in 1388, and which are its founders, and the design of the temple was carried out on the contributions and efforts of the little brother in 1484. "

The altar of the cathedral is decorated with frescoes of the highest artistic level. At its apse is the image of the Holy Warriors of icon painting with Serbian belts, hats, perhaps because Joasaph was of Serbian origin. Depicted as three hierarchies, and a little above the Lord's Supper and the Ascension, and even higher Platitera Virgin.

On the west wall shows the founding of the monastery monk Father and Master of St. Athanasios of Meteora and the Reverend Father, our Joasaph, as they figuratively sign. In contrast, the two columns is the image of St. Nicholas - "devout patron" and "Our Lady of prayer".

On the dome of the majestic Pantocrator, surrounded by angelic forces. In the gallery on the right shows the following subjects: "The Raising of Lazarus", "Entry into Jerusalem" and "The Last Supper," and left "Descent into Hell" and scenes from "The Appearance of Christ after the Resurrection."

Wooden, carved throne, Metropolitan, decorated with mother of pearl inlay, creating the impression splendor. It has the inscription "1C XC NIKA» (Jesus Christ conquers) 1616.

The cathedral's iconostasis carved in wood and covered with gold in 1791, following a cross iconostasis following inscription: "In the time Superior Parthenius and hands Constantine Kostas Anatopitiya Mettsovitis August 6, 1791."

Beneath this inscription and around the so-called picturesque harbor, the average of the three doors in the temple, another inscription shows that in 1635 the monks of the monastery to pay for construction of ports, and the wizard who did it, was called Ioannidis.

Other inscriptions on the iconostasis talk about bishops and the abbot Paisiose Parfenov, in an era which was made the iconostasis. The icons are painted egg colors, and decorated with forged. Lord of the throne, made in 1617 is made of wood inlaid with plants on it, made of mother of pearl and ivory. In the same way two made ​​the podium in one of which stated that they are made by abbot Parfenov and Ruler Protopsaltii Kallinik.

The spacious nave of the cathedral with 9 small dome rests on four pillars. On the right are the graves of St. Athanasius and St. Joasaph. To the left of the entrance at low altitude over the inscription, "built this temple inspires respect for the Transfiguration of Our Lord God Jesus Christ, the contributions and efforts are there brothers in 1544-1545, the city".

The temple is painted iconographic compositions, both from historical and dogmatic and liturgical cycle of the Orthodox Church. The famous "Suffering Saints" indicate that they created a great master, whose name, unfortunately, is unknown. According to experts, this could be the last works of the famous icon painter Theophanes the Cretan, or his students.

In the left apse is possible to distinguish John the Baptist, and over the central gateway - the Christ, John the Baptist and Our Lady. Apse on the right shows the baptism of Christ, embodied by the Jordan River, over the right gate depicted the Archangel Gabriel, and over the left - the Archangel Michael. Left and right of the central gate is the perfect image of the Annunciation of the Virgin, who is happy to be greeting of the Archangel Gabriel.

The paintings look like they just painted. On the vaults are not noticeably soot. And the thing is that this is not taken to put a candle in front of each icon. Candles are placed in one or more designated areas equipped with exhaust system. 

The temple contains a large number of valuable icons XIV-XVI centuries, and in the former refectory of the monastery is a museum of jewelry. It contains valuable relics, crosses and boxes for them, the holy chalice, and the Gospel, the bishops' staffs and robes, lead printing, etc. One cross was created by Daniel Monk, who in his production took 10 years. It has 10 images and 24 multifaceted odnolikih. Here you can admire the collection of manuscripts and important historical documents, post-Byzantine style collection of icons, wood carvings and embroidered facial.  

 Monastery of the Transfiguration, also known as the Great Meteor, was founded by Athanasius Meteorskim around 1340 ..