Meteora -between Heaven and Earth

Meteora between Heaven and Earth

United Kingdom | Friday, November 14, 2014 | 6 photos

Meteora is a world known climbing destination. These mythical giant walls,of conglomerate stone, which look as if they came out from a sci fi movie or the novel from Michael Ende's “Neverending Story” are rich with history and legends. The first people who climbed there where hermits somewhere between 9th and 10th century.
Climbing on these rocks was a part of the culture of the local people, who used these giant formations to protect themeselves from enemies in wars or to lay oblations to Gods.
In 1975, a famous alpinist, Dietcrich Hasse with few courageous and capable alpinists opened the first climbing routes in Meteora. Since then more than 800 multipitch routes have been opened in the giant rocks of Meteora.
Few months ago I was informed that a new law is under discusion which aims to forbid any climbing activity in Meteora. I decided to travel in Meteora, the sooner I could and photograph some of the most historical and dangerous routes of the area.
I felt an enormous joy for being there and be able to capture these moments among friends doing what they love the most-be close to nature.
The same time I felt sadness. I looked down with my photograpic camera and tryied to keep my self contained and calm as I captured the climbers 300 meters above the ground. For me,this climb was not like any other I had done before, it was a tribute to what we might loose in the near future.