Perched dramatically atop a massive, slender sandstone pillar, the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapausas was established at the end of the 14th century. It is celebrated for its unique multi-level design forced by the narrow peak, and it houses invaluable, globally renowned 16th-century frescoes painted by the famous Cretan master Theophanes the Monk. The ingenuity of Byzantine architecture is demonstrated by how the monastery’s multi-tiered stone walls, wooden balconies, and upper lookout post are engineered directly onto the narrow contours of the vertical cliff face.