Stunning Roussanou Monastery in Meteora Greece

Sight of Roussanou Monastery from a distance, especially from The Great Meteoron Monastery stunned me beyond words. Clouds came floating, graced the monastery and slid away as stealthily as they come. Only the lucky tourists, one among them was me, could frame it for eternity.

Photographer’s tip for Meteora: Visit Meteora monasteries early in the morning for those magical moments and aura.

This is the first monastery I visited in Meteora and needless to say I was mesmerized by the aura there! This post is on Roussanou Monastery history, architecture and interesting facts.

Roussanou Monastery in Meteora Greece

Roussanou Monastery Architecture

Rousanou Monastery is spread all over the entire surface of the mountain peak of the rock. It almost seems like the monastery has emerged out of the peak. Like the St Nicholas Monastery this one too has 3 floors.

On the ground floor are the catholicon and the cells for monks. Reception halls, the archontariki (meaning guest quarters), exhibition room, and some small rooms are on the other floors. At the base of the rock there are rooms for other uses like workrooms, library etc.

Rousanou Monastery History

Confusion prevails over the exact date of origin of Rousanou Monastery. While some date it to 1288, some unverified data hints at the year 1388 when priest-monks Nikodemus and Benedict are believed to have founded the monastery.

Couple of centuries later, in 1527 when priest-monks brothers Ioasaph and Maximus from Ioanina climbed up the rock, they found only ruins. They were granted permission by the vicar of the diocese of Stagoi, and by the abbot of the Great Meteoron Monastery to settle and to become monks on the Rousanou rock.

All evidences of old monastery here was lost once they constructed buildings on them.

Roussanou Monastery bridges connecting peaks – Cemented steps lead up to the first peak then you get across to the next peak through a bridge and reach the final peak with the monastery walking through another short bridge. Both bridges are of solid metal made in 1930, view from the bridges are mind blowing!

They built a catholicon on the ruins of older church of the Transfiguration in 1530. But for several centuries after that the monastery activities reduced and lay forgotten till 1940. It was plundered during WWII.

During 80s the monastery was restored and renovated by the responsible Archeological Service of the region. In 1988 the Rousanou Monastery was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Today it operates as a convent.

Roussanou Monastery in Meteora Greece

Roussanou Monastery Interesting Facts

• The catholicon built over Transfiguration of Christ is dedicated to St. Barbara.
• Her memory is celebrated on 4^th December.
• The sanctuary looks to the north instead of looking to the east according to custom.
• In the church there is an egg of Ostrich bird and it symbolizes that God takes care of the faithful until they are born and they follow Him just like ostrich which doesn’t incubate its eggs but it takes care of them from a distance until the babies hatch.
• There are eggs of ostrich in the catholicon of the Monastery of Varlaam for the same reasons.
• About 50 manuscripts from this monastery are preserved in the St. Stephen Monastery.
• During wars of 1757 and 1897 people from nearby places like Trikala and Kalambaka took refuge in this monastery to escape the wrath of Turkish invaders.

Roussanou Monastery polygonal dome with single lobed windows

Tips to Visit Rousanou Monastery

• Dress code to be strictly followed here.
• No photography permitted inside the monastery
• There is a small souvenir shop inside this monastery
• Very difficult access for disabled and people with weak knees.
• Small monastery, tour time approximately half an hour

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