January 17th: Monasteries at Meteora

These monasteries on the rocks of Meteora were the highlight of my trip.  Though we do not know their origin, it is thought that the monastic, secluded life on these beautiful mountains began around the 14th century.  The churches boast of tall bellowing bell towers as well as of interiors booming with bold frescos. What made them architecturally significant to me were the red tile roofs and tall Byzantine windows.  While some of the six were made of stone and others with brick, they are all composed of the same red tile roofs that stand out against the cool gray and blue scenery.  It is apparent that many of these were renewed or renovated during the Byzantine empire due to the arched dome-like ceilings inside and the hexagonal structures.