Placed on the tops of mountains, perched on steep hillsides, and nestled among sharp rocks, the precarious location of these monasteries offered protection from invaders and the chance for worshipers to feel close to god. By modern-day standards the construction of such compounds seems daunting - but imagine how difficult the task of building these churches was to ancient monks! Painstakingly designed and supplied by treacherous paths, ropes, and pulleys, these cliff-side monasteries are shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
1. Paro Taktsang or "Tiger's Nest" - Bhutan
2. The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas and the Holy Monastery of Rousanou - Meteora, Greece
3. Popa Taungkalat or "Mount Popa" - near Pagan, Burma
4. Sümela Monastery- Trabzon, Turkey
5. Dhankar Gompa - Spiti, India
6. St. George Monastery - Wadi Kelt, Israel
/Wikipedia
7. Xuan Kong Si or "The Hanging Temple" - Datong, China
8. Blue Domed Church - Santorini, Greece
9. Sant Miquel del Fai - Bigues i Riells, Spain
10. Sigiriya or "Lion's Rock" - Colombo, Sri Lanka
11. Madonna del Sasso - Locarno, Switzerland
Article by Rachel Greenberg, originally written for NileGuide
