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Highway 6 from Larisa leads
across the Thessalian plain through Trikala after which you begin to see the first of the rock pillars whose strange shapes
give the landscape of the Meteora its distinctive character. The little town of Kalambaka
lies at the foot of the Meteora and a road from the town takes a short circular route around the monasteries perched high
on the rocks. The rocks rise up to 400mts
above the Thessalian plain and some are riddled with caves that were originally inhabited by hermits. The monasteries were
established later from about the 14th century when there were originally about twenty-four monasteries but now
only seven remain. Until the 1920s the only way
to reach the monasteries was by winches or by hanging ladders from the vertical cliff faces. Since that time steps have been
hewn into the rocks and bridges built to make access easier. |
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