Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen

The Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen is the most accessible of the Meteora monasteries, perched on the southeastern edge of the rock complex and reached by a simple stone bridge rather than steep steps. Its history stretches back to at least the late 12th century, when the hermit Jeremiah first settled on the rock. By the 14th–15th century it had become an organized monastic community, later flourishing under founders such as Saint Anthony and Saint Philotheus, who rebuilt the old katholikon around 1545. Inside, visitors encounter two distinct churches. The old katholikon of Saint Stephen, a small timber‑roofed basilica, preserves 16th‑century frescoes—restored but still marked by damage from war—which include full‑length saints, scenes from the Akathistos Hymn, and the Platytera in the sanctuary. The new katholikon of Saint Charalambus, built in 1798, is larger and crowned with three slender domes. It houses the skull of Saint Charalambus, one of Meteora’s most revered relics, and features an elaborate hand‑carved wooden iconostasis crafted in 1814. The monastery also maintains an excellent museum in the old refectory, displaying Byzantine icons, embroidered vestments, and manuscripts. From the terrace, sweeping views open over the Thessalian plain and Kalambaka.