Monastery of St. Nikanor

High on Mount Kallistratos in western Macedonia, at 535 metres, the Monastery of St. Nikanor commands a sweeping view over the Aliakmonas river, near where the districts of Grevena and Kozani meet. This Byzantine foundation, also known as the Monastery of Zavorda or of the Transfiguration of Christ the Saviour, received its surviving form in 1534 and is recognised today as a protected building in Greece. Its fortified perch above the valley speaks to a long monastic tradition of watchful retreat, prayer and endurance in the rugged landscapes of northern Greece.