Meteora Roussanou Monastery

Location: Kalambaka

The Monastery of Agia Varvara Roussanou in Meteora, Thessaly: The Monastery of Agia Varvara Roussanou is one of the six active monasteries in Meteora. It is dedicated to Agia Varvara (Saint Barbara), honored on December 4th. Its building complex covers the entire terrace of the long rock situated in a beautiful place within the green forest. The monastery was founded in 1529 A.D.by the brothers Ioasaph and Maximos from Ioannina.

The katholikon dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ (Metamorphosis of Sotiros) was built around 1530 A.D. above the ruins of an old Catholic monastery. The frescoes of the temple date back to 1560 A.D. decorated by an unknown artist of the Cretan painting school. The monastery was a refuge for the poor people and families during the troubled days. In the 19th century, the monastery declined and today it is inhabited only by a few monks.

The monastery consists of a three-storey building. On the ground level, there is the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ with several cells. The second and third level are occupied with reception halls and an exhibition room. It is located towards the road from Kastraki to Meteora between the monastery of Anapafsa and Varlaam. It is accessed by several steps and a long bridge constructed in 1930.