Trek to Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of Anapafsas Meteora

Saint Nicholas Monastery is special because it is the first monastery you will sight as you drive towards Holy Meteora. For the hikers among you interested in Meteora hiking tour, let me tell you it is just a km away from Kastraki village, the easiest and the quickest one to approach.

Here are some St Nicholas Monastery interesting facts that I came across during my trip and its history that I gathered later.

Trek to St Nicholas Monastery Meteora Greece

Trek to St Nicholas Monastery Meteora

Though steep, this monastery has lesser number of steps, 140, compared to Holy Trinity monastery in Meteora which as 300 steps but not steep. It is on a 80m steep mountain. Since the summit is a small one area wise, the monks built one floor over the other and within the monastery too there are set of steps to climb.

This monastery is also credited to be the lowest in height among all monasteries there… meaning other monasteries are in higher hill tops.

St Nicholas Monastery Meteora Tour

At the entrance – take tour of Church of St Anthony and crypt. Inner walls are decked with 14^th century paintings, very colourful ones. Dome of the church is a low one with no windows.

There is a crypt which was used to keep codices and relics. The manuscripts of St Nicholas have been long transferred to St. Stephen Monastery Meteora Greece.

Second floor – this an elongated room. It is the Catholicon where St Nicholas was honored.

Third floor – the Holy table with decorated murals is the main attraction here. There is a cell for monks and Chapel of St. John Prodromos. There was a Padri here who objected to my clicking pictures so I had to give it a pass.

There is no courtyard for this monastery unlike the other 5 monasteries of Meteora.

Frescoes and Wall paintings

Catholicon where St Nicholas was honored

The Name

Complete name of the monastery is Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas. It is said that the name was attributed by one of the monastery’s benefactors.

Yet another reason for this name is that this being the first monastery it was used as resting place by the monks before they proceeded to other monasteries. Anapafsas in Greek language translates to resting.

It gives a whole new definition to the monastery! Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas literally means Saint Nicholas the one who rests you.

Interior of Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of Anapafsas Meteora

History of St Nicholas Monastery

No written evidence has been found regarding who constructed this monastery. All estimates point to rough evidences that it was in early 14^th century when some hermits came together to build this monastery. The dating is based on remains of frescoes from 14^th century. They are in St. Antony chapel that is on the first floor.

The Katholikon of St Nicholas in second floor was built by St. Dionysius, a priest-monk Nikanoras. During 1510 the monastery was totally renovated.

However from early 1900s the monastery was abandoned and it again came under active use since 1997.

Much before that, in 1988, UNESCO enlisted the monasteries of Meteora in its prestigious list of World Heritage sites.

View from Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of Anapafsas Meteora

Open Timings of Nicholas Monastery

Summer timings: Apr to Oct: 8 am to 4 pm, closed on Fridays
Winter timings: Nov to Mar 9 am to 3 pm closed on Fridays.

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