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Monastery of Rousanou, Meteora, Greece
A pious, precarious place
Like the other five surviving monasteries of Meteora, Rousanou isn't as given to solitude as it used to be. The 20th-century addition of convenient staircases opened these contemplative complexes to curious tourists. But before that, ascetics and their daring visitors had to ascend and descend ladders to get here – or be hauled up and lowered down by nets and ropes, the same way food and other necessities were delivered. Ease of transit isn't the only big modern change for Rousanou; while originally a home for monks, nowadays it hosts a convent of nuns.
A pious, precarious place
Like the other five surviving monasteries of Meteora, Rousanou isn't as given to solitude as it used to be. The 20th-century addition of convenient staircases opened these contemplative complexes to curious tourists. But before that, ascetics and their daring visitors had to ascend and descend ladders to get here – or be hauled up and lowered down by nets and ropes, the same way food and other necessities were delivered. Ease of transit isn't the only big modern change for Rousanou; while originally a home for monks, nowadays it hosts a convent of nuns.
Originally a home for monks, nowadays this complex hosts a convent of nuns.
© Pencho Tihov / Shutterstock 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :