Agia Triada Monastery, Meteora

Made famous by James Bond, Agia Triada (also Ayías Triádhos, Ayia Triada or Aghia Triada; "Holy Trinity") is probably the most dramatically positioned monastery of the Meteora. It is perched atop a slender pinnacle and accessible only by 140 steep steps, making it one of the most peaceful monasteries as well.

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History of Agia Triada Monastery

Hermit monks may have lived here beginning in the 14th century, but the present monastery was built between 1458 and 1476.

Until the 20th century, monks, pilgrims and supplies reached the monastery only by means of rope-ladders and baskets. But in 1925, access to the rock was eased by the addition of rock-hewn stairs.

Agia Triada suffered greatly in World War II and the German occupation, during which virtually all its treasures were looted.

What to See at Agia Triada Monastery

Few tour buses stop at Holy Trinity Monastery, so it is comparatively peaceful and some semblence of monastic life is able to continue. It is inhabited and maintained by just a few monks.

The courtyard displays old farm implements and the old winch for hauling up baskets (a funicular now carries supplies to the top), as well as inspirational quotes from 1 Corinthians 13 (e.g. "Love is patient"). The monastic buildings are attractively half-timbered.

The small church (1476) has an exterior of brick and tile and is augmented by a large, unattractive narthex (1684). It has two domes, reflecting two building phases.

The frescoes in the church date from the 18th century and the those in the narthex from the 17th; they have been well restored. The church contains one of the few portable treasures that survived the 20th century: a Gospel book printed in Venice in 1539, with a silver cover.

Carved into the rock off the passageway into the courtyard is a round Chapel of John the Baptist (1682), which may occupy the site of an early hermitage. Holy Trinity owns over 120 religious manuscripts copied by its monks over the centuries, but for practical reasons these are kept at Agios Stefanos Monastery.

Quick Facts on Agia Triada Monastery

Site Information
Names:Aghia Triada · Agia Triada Monastery
Country:Greece
Categories:monasteries; World Heritage Sites
Dedication: Holy Trinity
Status: active
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:39.713278° N, 21.635771° E
Address:The Meteora, Thessaly, Greece
Meteora, Greece
Phone:243/20/22-220
Hours:Daily 9am-1pm, 3:30-6pm (hours may vary).
Closed Thursdays and sometimes Fridays.
Lodging:View hotels near Agia Triada Monastery
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

  1. Blue Guide Greece: The Mainland, 7th ed. (W.W. Norton, 2006), 549.
  2. Ayia Triada - Frommer's Greece
  3. Ayias Triadhos - Rough Guide to Greece
  4. The Holy Trinity Monastery - Kalampaka.com
  5. Advisory Body Evaluation - UNESCO World Heritage (1987)
  6. Meteora: Greece's Spiritual Pinnacles - Travel with a Challenge
  7. Meteora: Monasteries – Greece Travel

More Information

© Jason Morrison
© Jason Morrison
© Anka
© Liz Lawley
© Liz Lawley

Map of Agia Triada Monastery, Meteora

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