5 Monasteries Perched on the Edge of Isolation

Isolation can be challenging—people have faced the difficulty of being apart from friends, celebrating holidays and milestones alone, and exhausting everything on Netflix. However, for medieval monks, isolation was not just a lifestyle but a sacred duty to safeguard Christendom. As Augustine of Hippo from the 5th century explained, monks resided in the “City of God,” and their spiritual labor shielded those in the “Earthly City,” meaning the rest of humanity. Essentially, the more remote the monastery, the more effective it was. Explore five of the world’s most dramatically situated monasteries.

1. Monastery of Saint George // West Bank

During the early centuries of Christianity, ascetics were drawn to the caves surrounding Jerusalem. By around 420 CE, a group of these Christian hermits, known collectively as a lavra, had settled in Wadi Qelt, a river valley in the eastern West Bank. Approximately 80 years later, this lavra was transformed into a monastery called The Monastery of Saints John and George of Choziba.

Nestled into a cliffside—a recurring motif for monasteries—the Saint George Monastery still houses the remains of monks who were killed during the Persian destruction of the monastery in 614 CE. Much of the structure was rebuilt between 1878 and 1901 and features two churches, one of which boasts a 6th-century mosaic floor.

2. Taktsang Monastery // Bhutan

Referred to as the Tiger’s Nest or Tiger’s Lair, the Paro Taktsang monastery is perched 3000 feet above ground on a mountain cliff in Bhutan. Its nickname stems from an extraordinary legend. According to the tale, a Buddhist master named Padmasambhava sought a place to meditate. He mounted his concubine, who had transformed into a flying tiger, and discovered a serene cave. After defeating several demons during his meditation, he began converting the people of Bhutan to Buddhism.

Constructed in 1692, the present-day Taktsang Palphug Monastery was built around the cave where Padmasambhava is said to have meditated. The complex features four primary temples and provides access to eight caves adorned with flickering candles and statues of Bodhisattvas. If you’re planning a visit, prepare for a trek—it takes roughly three hours to reach the monastery on foot.

3. Monastery of the Holy Trinity // Greece

The Meteora rock formations in central Greece host several monasteries perched in precarious locations. Humans have inhabited the caves of Meteora for millennia, with some estimates suggesting the first settlers arrived around 50,000 years ago.

The monasteries in Meteora began appearing in the 14th century. The rocky outcrops proved ideal for monastic life, offering both defensibility and isolation, leading to the establishment of 24 monasteries in total. Today, six of these monasteries remain active and welcome visitors. The Monastery of the Holy Trinity, one of the oldest, was primarily built between 1475–76. Interestingly, it was featured in the 1981 James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only.

4. Sumela Monastery // Turkey

Similar to the Saint George Monastery and the Paro Taktsang Monastery, the Sumela Monastery is renowned for its cliffside location. Nestled in the Pontic Mountains of Northeastern Turkey, it sits on a sheer cliff approximately 3900 feet above the ground. Legend has it that two Athenian monks, Barnabas and Sophronios, established the monastery around 386 CE. Its fame at the time stemmed from an icon of the Virgin Mary, believed to have been painted by the Apostle Luke.

The current structure of Sumela Monastery largely dates to the 13th century, when a vision of the Virgin Mary reportedly saved Alexios III, the Emperor of Trebizond, from a storm. Grateful for the divine intervention, Alexios initiated the restoration of the site. After extensive renovations, the monastery fully reopened to visitors in 2020.

5. Skellig Michael // Ireland

Skellig Michael in Ireland stands out as one of the most iconic monastic marvels. Located roughly seven miles off the southwest coast, this rocky island spans 54 acres and rises to a peak of 714 feet. The monastery, constructed between the 6th and 8th centuries, remains remarkably well-preserved.

The site features stone crosses, two oratories, a cemetery, a medieval church, and six beehive-shaped cells. Its surreal appearance is so striking that it served as the setting for Luke Skywalker’s secluded refuge in the recent Star Wars trilogy. When playwright George Bernard Shaw visited in 1910, he fittingly called it an "incredible, impossible, mad place" and "part of our dream world."