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Dark Roasted Blend: The Hanging Monasteries of the World

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Dark Roasted Blend: The Hanging Monasteries of the World.

Truly, the way is narrow & the path is steep…

Dizzying heights, pervading mists and isolation seem to invariably fuel humankind’s spiritual quests and lofty aspirations, so it comes as no surprise that we find monasteries and other sacred architecture suspended high above deep valleys, perched on impossible rocks and looming over gorges. The air is certainly clearer there, though at these heights, it’s often much foggier.


(Hozoviotissa monastery at Amorgos Island, Greece – image credit: Joao Paulo Barbosa)

Serving partly as castles and almost always as unconquerable fortifications, these ancient sites were built on steep cliffs and daring promotories, often accessible only by secret paths – and thus provide the utmost seclusion amid serene surroundings, so valued in true spiritual devotion.

Some of these monasteries were featured on Dark Roasted Blend before, for example the “Haunted Monastery” of Sumela in Turkey:


(image via)

We also wrote about a “hiking” path to sacred places on Mt. Huashan in China:

Now we’re going to add more pilgrimage destinations to this list. The accessibility to such places recently has improved due to the relentless progress of civilization (though this may not be a good thing for those seeking the original peace and quiet).

1. Sigiriya, Sri Lanka – The Lion Mountain

Build on a “magma plug” outstanding rock (being a remnant of an ancient volcano) the sacred city of Sigiriya contains the ruins of the palace and of the original temple, dating back to 500 AD. Even older times (around 3rd century BC) saw this rock used as a mountain monastery of the Buddhist Sangha devotees. Their caves still pepper the vertical walls, hardly accessible because of their overhanging formation and the 370-meter height.






(images credit: 1, 2, 3)

Here are some ancient rocks and the Sigiriya City in the background:


(image credit: Chinthaka Senanayake)

The whole western face of this rock (measuring 140 meters long and 40 meters high) was at one time covered with paintings:

“The whole face of the hill appears to have been a gigantic picture gallery… (being in total) the largest picture in the world perhaps” (quote from John Still in 1907). Colorful frescos were painted with the special mixture of egg yolk and wild honey, depicting the royal princess’ procession and various exotic offerings. A few frescos in this giant mural were later obliterated by zealous monks, anxious not to disturb their meditation.



(images via)

Steep cliffs plunge down on all sides, commanding an ultimate view of surrounding plains & mountains:


(image credit: Munir Squires)

Stairs leading to the Mirror Wall… were some sort of “Stairway to Heaven” for the ancient monks:



(images via)

This sacred mountain did not remain sacred throughout all the years of its history. Eventually, “mad king” Kasyapa built Pleasure Palaces there, including a “health spa” and a harem for his 500 wives. At other time this place also served as a capital city of Ceylon. By the time Arthur Clarke wrote about it in his “Fountains of Paradise”, it was again only a secluded monastery. Today this place is remote, but not “ideally” secluded, as hordes of tourists and hordes of archaeologists (this being a UNESCO site) clearly testify…

Don’t look down there -


(image credit: Munir Squires)

More local danger:


(image credit: Ben D. Johnson)

2. Taktshang – Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan

The Taktshang Tiger’s Nest monastery in Bhutan clings to a cliff 2300 feet above the Paro Valley floor. The legend behind the “Tiger’s Nest” name speaks of the “Second Buddha”, Precious Guru Padmasambhava, and his flight to the future site of the monastery on the back of a tiger. This is certainly marvelous means of transportation, but the rest of us must either hike on foot to reach the monastery and the temples, or ride a mule along the steep and narrow mountain paths.




(images credit: Leo Palmer Photography)



(images credit: Douglas J. McLaughlin)

The cliffs reign supreme… and the monastery looks like it’s carved into a mountain:


Looking down into the valley below:


(images credit: Allyson and Dominic)

Some hikers reportedly have gone missing on their way up, presumably losing their balance and slipping off the path. As you can see, there is pretty much nothing standing between you and the bottom of the valley:


The surrounding area of the Bhutan’s Tiger Nest monastery seem to be just as fascinating: here is a typical house on the way to monastery and a Medieval castle (or Dzong) overlooking the Gaza village:


(images via 1, 2, 3)

3. Meteora, Greece – “Build Your House on a Rock”

Our third monastery is situated on some curious cliff formations in Greece, in the plains of Thessaly. Some of these formations tower 1800 feet above the plain. Meteora site was originally a complex of two dozen monasteries, dating back to the 14th century. Six of them are still standing today and can be explored. By the way, Meteora means “”suspended in the air” or “in the heavens above”:




(images credit: Leonidas Spetzos, Poseidon Simons, Adventurelogger)

First monks started to build in Meteora around 950-970 A.D. They clearly recognized and respected the grand nature of this place, especially the unique shapes of surrounding rock formations, which were eventually explained by Filipson, a German geologist. According to him, a few million years ago Meteora area was the estuary of a great river, with much mud and silt accumulating and then eroding into these cone structures. With the geographical uplift of the Central Greece, Thessaly itself became a big lake. Gradually, the rocks of Meteora became detached from the Pindos Mountain chain, and with ages of erosion, became the shapes we see today.

The Roussanou Monastery:


(images credit: Karolos Trivizas)


(image credit: Tomasz Moscicki)

View down the valley:

Originally, the monasteries were only accessible inside baskets lifted by pulleys – until the 1920′s, when roads, steps and bridges were constructed to accommodate more pilgrims and tourists:


(image credit: Magdalini Eirinaki)

Still it’s quite a climb up to get inside any of these houses. Which makes it not a very friendly place to deliver groceries, perhaps, but certainly a great location for taking great photographs… and maybe dreaming about dozens of James Bond movies which could take place here?


(image via)

Varlaam Monastery:


(image credit: Tom Dempsey)

Saint Nicholas Anapafsa Monastery:


(image credit: Tom Dempsey)

This area is predictably popular with rock climbers… as one can only imagine the tenacity of first hermits who repeatedly scaled the cliffs and inhabited austere caves in search of solitude and spiritual awakening. Further detailed history of this place can be found at Great Adventures.com.


(image credit: Ilias Kapetanakis)


(image via)

The monks might not find themselves jumping from cliff to cliff, but a certain dare-devil tourists would. It can be clearly called a “leap of faith”:


(image credit: Mr. Teklan)

4. Cave Monasteries of Cappadocia, Turkey

And now we come to the most surreal landscape and weird habitation of them all – the fairy chimneys and hollow towers of the Cappadocia area in Turkey – a land rich in history and spiritual heritage. According to this, “Cappadocia is mentioned in the Biblical account given in the book of Acts 2:9, with the Cappadocians being named as one of the people groups hearing the Gospel account from Galileans in their own language on the day of Pentecost shortly after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:5 seems to suggest that the Cappadocians in this account were “God-fearing Jews”.

The Natural Rock Citadel of Uchisar is the highest peak in the region, and quite unexpectedly it is completely honeycombed with ancient dwellings! Many of these spaces were used as cave monasteries, though today they mostly inspire photographers and artists. Its honeycombed architecture is revealed by erosion and suggests intense fortifications and infrastructure:


(image credit: Patryk Moriak)


(image credit: CT Pehlivan)

Fairy Chimneys:


(image credit: CT Pehlivan)

We will cover more difficult-to-access and precariously located monasteries in the next installment of this series. But by now, you might be asking yourself a question:

How far would you be willing to go, just to get your peace & quiet?

Some paths to sacred places require a special blessing for safety. Take for example, this bridge… where the Russian sign states it clearly: “Did you get a blessing before crossing this bridge?”

Once you put all the sheer walls and narrow paths behind and reach the “sacred ground”, then it will prove to be truly inspiring:

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Amazing Castles from Around The World

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Amazing Castle from Around The World.

1. Hohenzollern Castle, Germany.

Built in the 11th century, then completely destroyed in 1423 and reconstructed in 1461. This 855 m castle stands on top of Mount Hohenzollern and located about 50 kilometers (30 mil) south of Stuttgart, the capital of the Baden-Württemberg state.

3. Castle Howard, England.

It’s a private residence of the Howard family that has resided in the complex for more than 300 years. Located in North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest residences in Britain. Its construction commenced at the end of the 17th century and lasted around 15 years.

3. Alcázar of Segovia, Spain.

Located in an ancient town of Segovia in central Spain, started off as an Arab fort in the 12th century. In the Middle Ages Alcazar was a key fortress in the defense of the country. Apparently, it was a source of inspiration for many of the castles produced by Walt Disney.

4. Himeji Castle, Japan.

It’s a stunning complex comprised of 83 wooden buildings, also known as White Heron Castle due to its amazing white exterior. The gates and baileys are designed so as to force approaching intruders to travel into spiral pattern, facing many dead ends. It was originally built in the 14th century and is located in the Kansai region of Japan.

5. Prague Castle, The Czech Republic.

It’s one of the largest and oldest castles in the world. It is about 570 meter long and 130 meter wide, and its design represents literally every architectural style of the last millennium, from Gothic to Romanesque and Baroque features. The first buildings of the complex emerged as early as in the 9th century.

6. Peles Castle, Romania.

Started in 1873, the construction of the complex was quite international an undertaking. Located in an idyllic setting in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the Peles Castle is truly a fairytale construction.

7. Chambord Castle, France.

Built to serve only as a hunting lodge. The location of the castle was chosen by King François I as he desired to be near his mistress, Claude Rohan, whose palace was located adjacently. The massive castle has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and 84 staircases, and it is the largest chateaux in the Loire Valley in France.

8. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany.

Situated on a rugged hill, in southwest Bavaria, today the castle is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. The construction began in 1896, was designed by Christian Jank, a theatrical set designer rather than an architect, for Ludwig II of Bavaria who was declared insane before the castle’s completion. This explains a lot. The architecture, the location and the size of the Neuschwanstein are spectacular and somewhat crazy.

9. Corfe Castle, England.

Located in the county of Dorset on the Isle of Purbeck, the castle dates back to the 9th century. It is believed, however, that Corfe might have emerged much earlier and was a Roman defensive site. The parts whose remnants you can see today were constructed in the 11th century, and two centuries later the fortress was used as a royal treasure storehouse and prison.

10. Matsumoto Castle, Japan.

Matsumoto Castle is an absolutely stunning Japanese castle located in the city of Matsumoto, within easy reach of Tokyo. The castle was built in 1504 and today it is listed as a National Treasure of Japan. It was in use until mid-19th century. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the new Japanese government was so broke that it decided to demolish the castle and sell the timber and the iron fittings (this was the fate of many castles in Japan at the time). Matsumoto was rescued by local citizens who purchased it in 1878.

11. Burg Eltz Castle, Germany.

This amazing medieval construction in southwest Germany is still owned by a branch of the same family that resided there over 800 years ago. The present owner of the castle is Dr. Karl Graf von und zu Eltz who represents the 33rd generation of the House of Eltz.

12. Eilean Donan Castle. Scotland.

Built in the 13th century to hold back the Vikings, today Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most famous sites in Scotland. Most probably it was named after Bishop Donan who came to Scotland in the 6th century. It is situated on an island, surrounded by the amazing scenery of the Scottish highlands. The fortress has been rebuilt at least four times and for around 200 years (from 18th to 20th century) it actually laid in ruins. It was re-opened in 1932 and since then it has been visited by thousands of travelers from around the world.

13. Neuchâtel Castle. Switzerland.

The castle, built at the end of the 10th century, was a gift of Rudolph III King of Burgundy to his wife. This very generous present gave its name to the town, the lake and then the Swiss canton where the castle is situated. Rebuilt in the 15th and 17th century, today the castle is the seat of cantonal government and the law courts.

14. Guaita Fortress, San Marino.

Guaita fortress, located on Guaita peak and overlooking the city of San Marino, is an iconic image of this micro country embraced by Italy. The fortress was constructed in the 11th century and served as a prison for some time. Guaita is one of the Three Towers of San Marino, located on the three peaks of Monte Titano. The towers are depicted on the San Marino’s national flag and its coat of arms.

15. Conwy Castle, Wales.

Conwy is one of the most prominent fortresses built by Edward I in the 13th century. It is one of the key castles of the king’s “iron ring” of fortresses constructed in Wales. The stronghold was quite an expensive undertaking – it is estimated that Edward spent £15,000 (£162 million in 2009) on the construction, which makes it the most costly castle in the Welsh history. Today Conwy is declared a World Heritage Site and its eight towers, overlooking the Conwy estuary, are the iconic image of North Wales.

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Architect gets ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ Yellowstone project

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Architect gets ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ Yellowstone project.

MICHAEL GALLACHER/MissoulianJim McDonald and his team at A&E Architects of MissoulaandBillings have won a historic preservation award from the American Institute of Architects for their part in the $26 million

restoration of the Old Faithful Inn, a project spanning five winters.

MISSOULA — Jim McDonald was just another ranch kid visiting Yellowstone National Park with his family in the 1950s.

Like most of the tens of millions of tourists in Yellowstone over the years, the McDonalds of Cascade placed Old Faithful geyser near the top of their list of attractions and, afterward, their memories. But for young Jim, there was also the Crow’s Nest.

A series of catwalks and stairs led to a perch in the rafters of Old Faithful Inn, where a four-piece orchestra played. The story goes that Robert Reamer, the inn’s architect more than a half-century earlier, had built it to fulfill a childhood fantasy for a tree house.

“Before the earthquake in ’59 you could go to the top of it,” McDonald said last week. “That’s one of the things I remember is climbing up those stairs.”

Look where he’s climbed to now.

McDonald was the principal historic architect for a $26 million restoration of Old Faithful Inn, a project that entailed five winters of work from 2004-2009.

“It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects, working with a major architect, Robert Reamer, and working with his building and trying to bring back some of the things that he put into these structures that really made part of what Yellowstone’s all about,” McDonald said. “Besides the geysers and things, you have these great rustic buildings, like Old Faithful Inn.”

“I might be partially biased, but I think it was one of the most historically important renovation and restoration projects that the National Park Service has undertaken,” said Peter Galindo, the project manager for Yellowstone National Park. “Jim certainly gave that project the care and attention it needed.”

The more extensive restoration, of what’s known as the “Old House,” was spurred by the inn’s centennial in 2004. It was funded by the Park Service and Xenterra Parks and Resorts, Yellowstone’s concessionaire, which contracted with A&E to design the project. McDonald was part of an A&E team that included principal architect Christopher Martison and Dennis Johnson. Johnson is back at the inn this winter on a follow-up project, updating the kitchen to safety, sanitary and historical standards.

The architectural team worked closely with Beaudette Consulting Engineers, a Missoula firm specializing in renovation projects, and Associated Construction Engineers of Missoula, which handled the mechanical and electrical engineering.

McDonald is an easygoing man, difficult to exasperate. He long ago developed a good working relationship with the National Park Service and its bureaucratic ways, sometimes to his colleagues’ amazement. It served him well in a difficult and multifaceted project at Old Faithful.

“It’s not easy working on a giant log structure that’s over 100 years old and that’s been messed around with a bunch of times,” Galindo said. “It had been re-muddled over the years.”

Indeed, some work on the inn over the years caused damage to the building, McDonald said. Additional trusses actually pushed the walls out.

“We had to take those out and restructure it and bring it back more to the way it was originally, so we could protect the building and retain the original character,” he said.

Adding to the significance and complexity was the fact that Old Faithful Inn is one of a half-dozen structures in Yellowstone designated as National Historic Landmarks. That comes with exacting standards for renovation.

A major part of the project was to bring the inn up to seismic standards.

“Nothing was really connected together, and it hadn’t been structurally upgraded to protect it from another major earthquake,” McDonald said.

The 1959 earthquake that killed 28 people while damming the Madison River near the park’s northwest edge wreaked some damage, mostly to two stone fireplaces.

McDonald said the tremors from the quake hit the building at an angle.

“That’s probably what saved it. If it would have come directly in the front door, it would have probably collapsed the structure,” he said.

Among the new earthquake safety features: the original interior log columns, long since shorn of the bark that Reamer left on during construction, were split lengthwise and reinforced with steel columns, then put back together.

McDonald found pictures and records of the inn’s original rugs and had replicas made to match their color and design. Historic light fixtures were removed, cleaned and rewired. Exterior logs were repaired, cedar siding and roof finishes replaced and windows restored.

Then there were the green-stained wash basins that Reamer installed in 1904.

“In the ’60s they made these godawful gold sinks in most of the rooms, so we got rid of those, redesigned it, and made new stands with a copper top and put bowls in it like the original,” McDonald said. Now, however, there’s water piped in.

“The rooms are beautiful,” Galindo said. “The window coverings are redone, the sinks and mirrors, the furnishings. … It just looks great compared to what it was before.”

The proof of a great restoration project, however, comes in what you don’t see.

Updated mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire suppression systems were painted, implanted or hidden to give the inn its original early 20th century rustic feel.

“Amazing, you cannot recognize the difference between the old and the new,” gushed one member of the American Institute of Architecture panel that judged A&E’s role in the project.

Though he turns 65 in March, McDonald figures he has at least a couple more years’ worth of work to complete before he retires. Some of the remaining projects are in Glacier and Zion national parks, as more and more of his later years have been devoted to park projects. A&E has done projects in 11 or 12 national parks, he estimated.

“I’m really just interested in parks and working with the people and trying to save these structures that are very important, not only to the parks themselves but to the nation,” McDonald said.

Looking back, however, Old Faithful Inn stands above the rest.

“Right now I’d say it’s the most important project I’ve worked on,” he said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime project that a lot of firms don’t get to do.”

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