The extraordinary hanging monasteries that cling to the sides of cliffs

The Daily Mail ^ | 5-28-12

[afraidfortherepublic]

When you're trying to connect with your god, it helps to find some peace and quiet, if you can.

But that was, indeed, no such problem for the architects of these impossibly built monasteries.

Constructed at dizzying heights on the sides of mountains, they ensured only the most devoted - and vertigo-free - followers would join them for prayer.

Go to link to view amazing pictures. This is not for the faint of heart.

[Ann Archy]

WOW!! Those pics at the link are AWESOME!!!!!! Thanks.

[gzzimlich]

Is the point possibly that someone willing to go to those lengths to confess their sins is quite likely to be sincere?

[inthaihill]

The Hanging Monastery in Shanxi Province is actually on Mt Hengshan Mt. Huashan is in the Xian area (Shaanxi Province). I visited this monastery two years ago. The lines to go up to it were very long. It is an impressive structure. Not far away is the Wooden Pagoda which claims to be the oldest wooden pagoda in the world. It impressed me more than the Hanging Monastery.

[exDemMom]

If the only way to access the monastery is by being hoisted up 250 feet, then how did the builders get up there to build it in the first place? Was there an access way that collapsed in an earthquake or something?

[Typelouder]

I visited these in the 1980s. What I remember was we were driving down the road, came around a bend, and there these huge rocks appeared. Nothing else like it anywhere. We toured a couple of the monasteries, saw the one used in the James Bond film, and were amazed at the buildings atop the "meteors thrown down by the gods." Oh, and the one had a Xerox machine....

[afraidfortherepublic]

We report; you decide!

[afraidfortherepublic]

I visited China in 1983 and toured for 2 weeks. My favorite part was Xian, but I didn’t see this. No matter. I wouldn’t/couldn’t have scaled those heights.

[knarf]

I'm with you on THAT one, mom.

Anyone with even a smattering of construction comprehension is trying to "see" gazillions of laborors, trundleing up a mountainside with 60 foot poles, or delicate terra cotta tiles, or whatever tool(s) used to anchor them babies to a sheer mountainside.

Even the modern convetances for the tourists had to be (I'd think) helicoptered up there.

Logistics guys .. logistics.

(The pyramid builders, being from outer space, and having an entirely different perspective of distance, thought they were putting their priests in close enough proximity to protect the Pharoahs ?)

[knarf]

[the invisib1e hand]

Not far away is the Wooden Pagoda which claims to be the oldest wooden pagoda in the world. It impressed me more than the Hanging Monastery.

A talking pagoda! that is impressive!

[inthaihill]

We were stationed in Athens, Greece from 1975 to 1979 and got to visit some of these monasteries in Meteora. Parts of the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only, was filmed at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity which, I think is shown in the article. The Greek Orthodox Monks were not too happy with us tourists, but the monasteries are magnificent. Serious believers only allowed.

[Starstruck]

Perfect for Preppers.

[formosa]

These folks seriously wanted to be close to their God. Incredibly beautiful!

[FatherofFive]

These folks seriously wanted to be close to their God. Incredibly beautiful!

I've been to Meteora - incredibly beautiful.

Not sure if they wanted to be close to God, or simply away from the evils of the earth. I think the latter leads to the former. It is just more difficult when evil is all around.

[ScreamingFist]

We were stationed in Athens, Greece from 1975 to 1979

Hellenikon AFB by any chance? I was stationed there from 1980 to 1983.

[rightly_dividing]

Incredible pictures! Thanks for this post.