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Meteora Monastery | Greece
In Greek, Meteora means “suspended in the air,” and the name is appropriate for the series of monasteries perched atop the sandstone pillars in Central Greece. Monks have enjoyed the serenity of these isolated buildings since the 11th century.
The monasteries were designed to be difficult to access, but today the approach is a little less frightening thanks to a series of steps carved into the rocks.
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Sigiriya | Sri Lanka
Sigiriya, or Lion Mountain, juts out of the jungles of northern Sri Lanka. Atop the towering rock formation sit the ruins of what was once a sheltered Buddhist monastery from the 5th century through the 14th century. Visitors pass between two giant lion paws carved from the stone before making the steep climb up the rock face to the top.
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Sant Miquel del Fai | Spain
The Benedictine monastery perched on the cliffs in the Catalan region of Spain was established by the 10th century, but the precariously placed Priory House wasn’t completed until the 15th century. The original Church of San Miguel, carved directly into the rocky cliff, remains open to visitors.
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Tiger’s Nest Monastery | Bhutan
The builders of Paro Taktsang, also called Tiger’s Nest, supposedly received celestial assistance when they constructed the monastery nearly 3,000 feet above the valley floor. The complex was built in 1692 and became a prominent Tibetan Buddhist meditation site.
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Phuktal Gompa | India
Located in Northern India, Phuktal Gompa was built directly into the side of a cliff with a honeycomb-like pattern to its structures. About 70 monks still reside within the Buddhist monastery, originally established in the early 12th century.
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Hanging Monastery | China
On the side of a cliff some 164 feet above the ground, you’ll see the incredible Hanging Monastery of Datong – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Constructed in 491, the temple complex has survived for centuries in the most unlikely of locations. When viewed from below, it appears to be suspended in the air.
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Popa Taungkalat | Myanmar
Located in Central Myanmar, Mount Popa can be seen from miles away on a clear day, and atop a nearby extinct volcano plug sits the Popa Taungkalat monastery, one of the most important religious sites in the country. A total of 777 steps lead to the top of the outcrop where it is believed that 37 Nats (demi-god spirits) reside.
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Yumbulagang Monastery | Tibet
According to local legend, Yumbulagang was the first building in Tibet and the home of the first Tibetan king during the 2nd century BC. It eventually became a Yellow Hat Buddhist monastery under the fifth Dalai Lama.
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Spituk Monastery | India
The Spituk Monastery in Northern India has served as a place of worship for both Red and Yellow Hat Buddhists since its construction during the late 14th century. The complex’s many mudbrick structures appear to be cascading down the side of the steep, rocky hill.
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Sumela Monastery | Turkey
The Greek Orthodox Sumela Monastery clings to the steep cliffs of Altındere National Park in Turkey. According to legend, two priests decided to build the monastery in 386 AD after finding an icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave in the side of the cliff.