Meteora's monasteries on sandstone peaks in Thessaly are a World Heritage Site

Background

Meteora was inscribed by UNESCO in 1988. It lies in Thessaly, in the Prefecture of Trikala, in central Greece. Monasteries were built on nearly inaccessible sandstone peaks from the 11th century, and about 24 were built by the 15th-century revival of hermitic monasticism. Only four remain active: Aghios Stephanos, Aghia Trias, Varlaam and Meteoron. Their 16th-century frescoes mark a key stage in post-Byzantine art.