In fact, the interior and some of the exterior scenes were shot on a set in Pinewood Studios, England. For me, this monastery turns out to be the most authentic that I visit, with only one elderly monk in residence and a small katholikon that doesn’t actually have the gruesome scenes of martyrdom. [13][14], The church plan is in the form of a cruciform type and has a dome which is supported on two columns. [9], The history of building monasteries on top of perilous cliffs near Meteora occurred between the 14th and 15th centuries. impressive, rising from the plains of Thessaly a few miles northwest of (Includes Meteora), Help Support Matt's Greece Travel Guides  The Monastery of the Holy Trinity (Greek: Μονή Αγίας Τριάδος) (also known as Agia Triada, Ayías Triádhos, Ayia Triada; all meaning "Holy Trinity") is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in central Greece, situated in the Peneas Valley northeast of the town of Kalambaka. 5 Days in Northern Greece The Spanish girls declare that they are too tired to attempt the ascent to the last monastery on our route back to Kastraki so I climb up to Ayiou Nikolaou alone. In present day, one can walk from Kalambaka for 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) along a foot track to reach the monastery, or use a winch-operated lift. [8] Holy Trinity according to many sources was built in 1475–76,[10] though some sources say the construction dates of the monastery and its adjoining chapel, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, are unknown. By end of the fifteenth century, there were 24 such monasteries, such as Holy Trinity, St. Barbara Rousanou, and St. Nicholas Anapafsas. The monasteries were built on rock cliffs in the deltaic plains of Meteora. A little further down the road is Varlaam, one of the earliest monasteries to be established in the region and with an impressive old ascent tower and modern electrical cable car which I get to see in action. any time looking through travel brochures then you have certainly been Meteora, a 2012 Greek film devoted entirely to a story set in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora. [2] The area is hilly and forested, with river valleys, and a protected area known as Trikala Aesthetic Forest. The small comission I make on the bookings enable me to keep working and in most cases you won't find them any cheaper by searching elsewhere. There are white columns and arches, as well as rose-coloured tiles. In 1981, it was featured in the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only. Patrick Leigh Fermor is reported to have visited the monasteries here several decades ago, as a guest of the Abbot of Varlaam. the rock faces are climbed by professional and amateurs looking for a challenge Provisions were placed in baskets drawn up by rope-ladders (now with a winch). Its broad esonarthex barrel vault was built in 1689 and embellished in 1692. The rock cliffs, dated by chemical analysis to be 60 million years old, were created during earthquakes, and are of sandstone and conglomerate formations caused by fluvial erosion. [11], Only six of the original monasteries are still occupied, including Holy Trinity. Leave a reply. Even then, Holy Trinity was one of the poorest monasteries in Meteora.[17]. The monastery's main cathedral was constructed in the 15th century and decorated with frescoes in 1741 by two monks. probably wondered how on earth they built them. The Monastery also features in the 1961 film Tintin and the Golden Fleece. If you have questions you can e-mail me. Aristotle Kristatos, played by Julian Glover, was using the monastery in the film as a hideout. Do you enjoy using my site? ... Meteora is located in the region of Thessaly, about 225 miles northwest of Athens. If you want to include Meteora in your Greece itinerary try my Create-an-itinerary form to see what is possible and how much it will cost. Game of Thrones – James Bond – For your eyes only Did you know about Meteora? Learn how your comment data is processed. If you are appreciative of all the free information you get on my websites you can send a donation through Paypal. that they had Roger Moore (or his stunt double most likely) climb the stone Megalou Meteorou is the highest and luckily the largest of the monasteries so it’s easy to avoid the other visitors. The monastery was featured in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. [5][3] The UNESCO inscribing was done under criteria in 1988. As I climb up to the patio and bell tower at the very top, I can hear the monk praying in a back room somewhere, and when I see the stunning view back down the valley I can understand why all those years ago they chose the arduous task of constructing their places of worship on the top of these monolithic rocks. Out of all the monasteries of Meteora Holy Trinity has the most dramatic location, the rock face is a sheer drop and the rock itself is a lot more slender. James Bond and the Monks of Meteora. It is situated at the top of a rocky precipice over 400 metres high and forms part of 24 monasteries which were originally built at Meteora, one of the oldest still existing of the Meteora monasteries (Meteora means "suspended in the air" in Greek). When he asked the abbot how often the rope was replaced, he was simply told, ‘When it breaks’! James Bond found himself in Meteora, Greece for the 1981 film, For Your Eyes Only, which had Bond scaling a steep rocky cliff to reach the Monastery of the Holy Trinity.

In fact, I’m surprised by how much there is to see. You can also book at Booking.com's Meteora Page and they give me a small percentage on each booking. St. Cyril's Monastery, as it appears in For Your Eyes Only (1981).. St. Cyril's Monastery was a fictional abandoned Eastern Orthodox monastery in Greece, situated at the top of a rocky precipice over 400 metres high.The location appeared in the 1981 James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only.. Film appearance. I grew up in the 80s when Roger Moore was the popular choice to play James Bond. The church was constructed between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites titled Meteora. Kalambaka.

Left: Holy Trinity complex in Meteora. It was richly decorated and had precious manuscripts; however, these treasures were looted during World War II, when it was occupied by the Germans. [5][6] There is a road from the back side of the cliff. In fact the producers of James Bond found them so impressive face of one in the movie For Your Eyes Only. [11] Holy Trinity's decoration was added in 1741. In the 1981 Movie ‘For Your Eyes Only’, the climax of the film featured an amazing rock climbing stunt with the monasteries of Meteora as its backdrop. Even prior to this, in the 11th century, religious communities had established hermitages at the foot of these cliffs. Apparently the monks were not that impressed with their domain being invaded and tried to disrupt the filming by hanging out their laundry during takes. These days the rock faces are climbed by professional and amateurs looking for a challenge and what Paros is to wind-surfers, Meteora is to rock-climbers. In fact the producers of James Bond found them so impressive that they had Roger Moore (or his stunt double most likely) climb the stone face of one in the movie For Your Eyes Only. The rocks themselves are Right: Frescos inside the monastery.

The cliffs rise to a height of more than 400 metres (1,300 ft). These days visitors use the steps carved into the rock and bridges which span the chasms. [7] It is currently reached via tunnels and 130 steps of stone. Very few monks now actually reside at the monasteries but there are a flourishing community of nuns living at Ayiou Stefanou and Roussanou. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  The main theme of the 16th century frescos are the martyred saints who were killed for not renouncing their Christian beliefs. In the 1981 Movie ‘For Your Eyes Only’, the climax of the film featured an amazing rock climbing stunt with the monasteries of Meteora as its backdrop.

[12] I, II, IV, V and VII. One of the most amazing places in Greece,if not the world, is Meteora. You may recognise the monastery of Holy Trinity as it was used in the James Bond movie ‘For your eyes only’ Roger Moore scales the cliff face. Maybe you have seen this Giant Rocks before, but you don’t know it! Six of the 24 monasteries are still active and open to visitors. [2] These six – Holy Trinity, St. Stephen, Rousanou, St. Nicholas Anapafsas, Varlaam, and the Great Meteoron – make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site entitled Meteora.