Meteora is one of the biggest monastery complexes situated on the northwestern edge of Thessaly Mountains and close to Pindus Mountains.  In 1988 the Meteora, is home to six monasteries, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. All the monasteries are on the hills of the rock formations. Nowadays only six monasteries remained:

-The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron

-The Holy Monastery of Varlaam

- The Holy Monastery of Rousanou

- The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas

- The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen

-The Monastery of Holy Trinity

The rocks of 600 m seem to be like a miracle. These rocks were formed more than 60 million years ago and were the stone shadow of the prehistorically sea. Owing to the water, wind and temperature changes, the stony columns were formed named Meteora ("librating in the air").

Hermits started to live on the slopes of Pindus Mountains in 12^th century. The founder of two main monasteries, Saint Afanasius, started living here since 1360. It is not easy even to imagine how was the building of the monasteries in the slopes and top of the mountains. In 15^th-16^th centuries Thessaly was captured by the Turkish army and the monasteries were also captured. Nowadays only six monasteries remained and the rest of them disappeared. Until 1920 it was very difficult to reach the monasteries, it was practically impossible. They say they used ropes so as to pick up all the building materials, food and other necessary stuff. After the First World War a lot of tourists were interested in monasteries and there were built roads and stairs up to the monasteries.

Meteora Monasteries remind us more museums than real monastery complex.

The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron built on an imposing rock, is the oldest, the biggest and the most important among the monasteries of Meteora which are preserved today. It was founded little before the mid-14^th century (around 1340) by a scholar monk of Mount Athos, Saint Athanasios Meteorites. In the beginning, he built on the rock a church to the Mother of God. He also dedicated the monastery (the Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Meteora rock-Petra-) to her. Besides, he built cells so that the monks who began to concentrate there could live. Then, he built another church honored to the Transfiguration of Christ. This church constituted the monastery catholicon and the definitive name of the monastery attributes to this church.

The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second largest monastery in the Metéora complex. It was founded in 1517 by Theothanes and Nectaries Apsarades and named in honor of the bishop Varlaam. He built three churches, a small cell and a water tank. After his death the rock remained abandoned for about 200 years. When two brothers Theathanes and Nectaries Apsarades found the rock abandoned, they started to construct the first building from the beginning. They renovated the little church of the Three Hierarchs and erected the tower. They also built the central church of the monastery dedicated to all Saints.

The Holy Monastery of Rousanou is dedicated to 'The Transfiguration' but honored to Saint Barbara. The 'Catholicon', in the Athonite type, was founded in the middle of 16th c. and decorated in 1560. Both, the Catholicon and the reception halls are in the ground floor while the 'archontariki', cells and subsidiary rooms are scattered in the basement and the first floor.

The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas is the first monastery on the way from Kastraki to Meteora. The catholicon dedicated to Saint Nicholas is the single-nave church with small dome built in the beginning of the 16^th century. It was decorated by the Cretan painter Steophanis Strelitzas in 1527.

 The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen was male initially, but since 1961 became the sisterhood. The founders of the monastery are Holy Antony and Holy Philotheos who in the middle of the 16^th century rebuilt the church of St. Stephen. Under of Bishop Stagi Paisios and abbot Ambrosios, the present catholic was built in the honor of Saint Caralambos. The frescos at the catholic are created by Vlasis Tsotsonis. The Holy Convent of Saint Stephen became the museum with the remarkable   and rich collection of manuscripts, icons and sacred heirlooms.

The Monastery of Holy Trinity is situated at one the most impressive rocks in Meteora.  Until 1362 it has been the organized monastery and the catholic was built in 1456-1476. The present frescos were created by brothers Antony and Nikolas in 1741. The manuscripts of the Holy monastery are kept in the sacristy of the Holy monastery of Saint Stephen.