Varlaam Monastery, Meteora (UNESCO # 455)
Meteora 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. (whc.unesco.org/en/list/455) [youtube]vUUDgbdBweU[/youtube] The Monastery of Varlaam became the second after the…