Most inaccessible monasteries in the world

1. Meteora – Greece
The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos.

 

 

2. Taung Kalat Monastery, Burma

Myanmar maybe a war ravaged country but one thing that shines through all the chaos is the Taungkalat Monastery near Popa volcanic mountain that sits serenely among the clouds, some 2,417 feet up on top of a massive, sheer sided lava plug. This monastery that towers above the plains of central Myanmar provides a stunning sight for miles around.

Taungkalat Monastery is not only a Buddhist pilgrimage centre but is also the abode of 37 Mahagiri Nats – spirits of humans who met violent ends and the statues of whom can be seen at the base of the shrine. To reach the top visitors must climb the 777 steps to the summit.

 

 

 

3. Taktsang Lhakhang: The Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan

A prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex, located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley, Bhutan. A temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen taktsang or “tiger lair” caves in which he meditated.

 

 

4.  Sumela Monastery

The Sümela Monastery, is a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary at Melá mountain, in the region of Maçka in the Trabzon Province of modern Turkey.

 

 

5. Syuankun-Sy

The name translates from Chinese as “the hanging monastery”, and it really is, as most rooms are located on wooden stilts that rest against the cliff. Also, rock is one of the walls of the monastery. It combines the Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist altars in the same complex. Most of the temple complex was built in the fifth century.

 

Source: http://re-actor.net