Varlaam Monastery

Here is another 14th century monastery named after the 1st hermit to settle the site, but the monastery as it exists today dates mostly to the 16th century. It sites stop the rock almost 400 meters straight up. This is the 2nd largest monastery at Meteora and perhaps the best known.
The 1st picture looks up the rock to the monastery from the modern access that includes a bridge and winding stairs up the face of the rock. The 2nd picture is in the main courtyard atop the cliffs. The 3rd picture is taken from the same spot but in the opposite direction, looking at the garden at the entrance to the narthex and church.
The 4th picture is my best attempt to approach the edge to give a sense of the precipitous cliff.
The 5th picture is the large narthex outside the extraordinarily decorated church where no pictures were allowed.
The last is in the museum, down 2 levels from the church. This is the old refectory. The museum houses many artifacts from the monastery, including a significant collection of important manuscripts.Read more