2015-05-01 Meteora - Agios Stefanos monastery
After Athos, Meteora is the biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece. In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these 'columns of the sky' from the 11th century onwards. Twenty-four of these monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the eremetic ideal in the 15th century. Their 16th-century frescoes mark a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting.
Let's visit the Monastery of Saint Stephen:
You enter the complex by a stone bridge that spans a steep cliff (see sketch on the right). A bended corridor with steps gives access to the lower courtyard, around which the nuns' cells are situated.
Steps lead to the second terrace, from where a bridge - spanning a narrow void - leads to a balcony (in red) that gives acces to the nun's cells on the second floor.
A further flight of steps leads to the third terrace and loggia of the katholikon (1798).
In the right corner of the loggia is the entrance door to the narthex. This square room has 4 columns and 9 cupolas.
Through porches on the left you enter the - much higher - naos, with a central cupola on a drum, 6 columns and 2 side apses.
Behind the iconostasis there is the sanctuary with the altar, backed by an apse and 2 apsidioles.
The priest can enter the sanctuary by a separate door.
The interior is completely covered with astonishing paintings.
Opposite the church is a square tower.
A flight of steps between tower and church leads to the upper, fourth terrace, from where there is a spectacular view of the city of Kalambaka and the surrounding landscape. On the right is a formal garden with well and an arched loggia.
Imagine the effort of cutting the shaft in the rock, god knows how deep...On the left there is the cemetry, a new church and a cross on a hillock.
The plan was made by viewing the exterior of the buildings as seen from the courtyards, except for the katholikon, which was accessible. So the outer perimeter of the buildings is guesswork. Later I found out that I missed another church, next to the modern one top left.
Pigmentliner and watercolour 23 x 31
2015-05-01 Meteora - Agios Stefanos monastery
After Athos, Meteora is the biggest and most important group of monasteries in Greece. In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these 'columns of the sky' from the 11th century onwards. Twenty-four of these monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the eremetic ideal in the 15th century. Their 16th-century frescoes mark a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting.
Let's visit the Monastery of Saint Stephen:
You enter the complex by a stone bridge that spans a steep cliff (see sketch on the right). A bended corridor with steps gives access to the lower courtyard, around which the nuns' cells are situated.
Steps lead to the second terrace, from where a bridge - spanning a narrow void - leads to a balcony (in red) that gives acces to the nun's cells on the second floor.
A further flight of steps leads to the third terrace and loggia of the katholikon (1798).
In the right corner of the loggia is the entrance door to the narthex. This square room has 4 columns and 9 cupolas.
Through porches on the left you enter the - much higher - naos, with a central cupola on a drum, 6 columns and 2 side apses.
Behind the iconostasis there is the sanctuary with the altar, backed by an apse and 2 apsidioles.
The priest can enter the sanctuary by a separate door.
The interior is completely covered with astonishing paintings.
Opposite the church is a square tower.
A flight of steps between tower and church leads to the upper, fourth terrace, from where there is a spectacular view of the city of Kalambaka and the surrounding landscape. On the right is a formal garden with well and an arched loggia.
Imagine the effort of cutting the shaft in the rock, god knows how deep...On the left there is the cemetry, a new church and a cross on a hillock.
The plan was made by viewing the exterior of the buildings as seen from the courtyards, except for the katholikon, which was accessible. So the outer perimeter of the buildings is guesswork. Later I found out that I missed another church, next to the modern one top left.
Pigmentliner and watercolour 23 x 31