Agia Triada Monastery, Meteora 
The spectacular setting of Agia Triada. Photo
Jason Morrison.
Holy Trinity Monastery, with stairs carved in the rock below. Photo
Jason Morrison.
Closer look at the monastery perched on its rock. Photo
Anka.
The steep ascent to Agia Triada. Photo
Liz Lawley.
The peaceful grounds of Agia Triada. Photo
Liz Lawley.
Location map and aerial view of Agia Triada Monastery. For a larger interactive view, see our Meteora Map.
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.
History
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
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
Site Information |
| Names: | Agia Triada Monastery; Aghia Triada |
| Location: | Meteora, Thessaly, Greece |
| Faith: | Christianity |
| Denomination: | Greek Orthodox |
| Dedication: | Holy Trinity |
| Category: | Abbeys & Monasteries; World Heritage Sites |
| Status: | active |
| Features: | Spectacular Setting |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 39.713278° N, 21.635771° E (view on Google Maps) |
| Lodging: | View hotels near this location |
| Address: | The Meteora, Thessaly, Greece |
| Phone: | 243/20/22-220 |
| Opening hours: | Daily 9am-1pm, 3:30-6pm (hours may vary). Closed Thursdays and sometimes Fridays. |
| Cost: | €2 |
| Photography: | Not permitted inside. |
Travel Resources
- Meteora Map - our detailed interactive map of Meteora, plus hand-picked links to more
- Meteora Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
- Meteora Guided Tours - sightseeing tours and activities in Meteora
- Meteora Restaurant Reviews - the best places to eat in town
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Blue Guide Greece: The Mainland, 7th ed. (W.W. Norton, 2006), 549.
- Ayia Triada - Frommer's Greece
- Ayias Triadhos - Rough Guide to Greece
- The Holy Trinity Monastery - Kalampaka.com
- Advisory Body Evaluation - UNESCO World Heritage (1987)
- Meteora: Greece's Spiritual Pinnacles - Travel with a Challenge
- Meteora: Monasteries – Greece Travel
Last updated on July 1, 2009.
