Greece
The Meteora: Roussanou Monastery
The Holy Monastery of Roussanou takes its name from the first probable hermit who settled on the rock. The main cathedral was founded at the end of the 16th century and its interior was decorated thirty years later. Although at lower elevation to most of the other monasteries, Rossanou`s situation is one of the most spectacular, and it`s also fairly easy to access with a parking area at the foot of the pillar.
|
|
The monasteries operate a strict dress code: all shoulders must be covered, men must wear long trousers and women must wear long skirts. This is not rigorously adhered to in every monastery, however, as I saw numerous coach tour passengers wandering in with t-shirt and shorts but it`s best to go suitably attired. Wrap-around skirts should be available for women at the entrances.
|
|
Well-preserved wall-paintings within date from 1560, when the priest-monk Arsenios was the abbot of the monastery. The unknown hagiographer seems to have been a very skilful artist and paints in the style of the Cretan School. Roussanou Monastery suffered severe damage during World War II. It became a convent in 1988 and has been occupied by nuns ever since.
Please bear in mind that all images on this website and my blog are Copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark.
|
|