Perched atop the dramatic rock pillars of Meteora, the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapausas originated in the 14th century as an isolated hermitage for ascetic monks seeking spiritual refuge. Because the narrow rock surface lacked horizontal space, builders engineered the sanctuary vertically across multiple staggered levels, culminating in a major 1510 reconstruction. The interior features globally renowned frescoes painted in 1527 by Theophanes of Crete, representing some of the earliest signed works of his artistic career. After falling into disrepair at the beginning of the 20th century, the site was successfully restored by Greece's Archaeological Service in the 1960s.