List of cave monasteries
A cave monastery is a monastery that was not classical in working with structures or buildings on the earth's surface but underground in a cave or created a natural cavity. Most cave monasteries that belonged mostly to the Orthodox Church, found in South-East Europe and the Middle East.
Description
A cave monastery can be applied in both a naturally occurring and in a man-made cave, some were expanded similar to the outer sides as in a cave. This form of the monastery served as a hermitage of monks mostly Orthodox faith, which in the utmost seclusion from the world their prayers here and there tried ( and partly try again) to approach God. The cave passages of different lengths include periodically small or even very small monastic cells and underground churches or chapels. The caves were used as burial but deceased monks and abbots. Some of these cave systems are now in ruins, others are obtained, however, and at least partially open to visitors and / or tourists. Most cave monasteries are found in South-East Europe and the Middle East.
Known cave monasteries
Ethiopia
- Monastery Lalibela
Bulgaria
- Aladzha monastery
- Monastery Albotin
- Monastery Basarbowski
- Ivanovo Monastery
- Klaster Joan Pusti
- Monastery Kanarata
- Monastery Madara
- Monastery Matotschina
- Monastery Michalitsch
- Monastery Nisowo
- Monastery Osmar
- Monastery Rasboischte
- Monastery Sedemte Dupki
- Monastery Schaschkanite
- Monastery Shayan kaja
- Monastery Sveti Nikola
- Monastery Tarapanata
- Monastery Urwitsch
Lebanon
- Anthony Monastery Quzhaya ( in its oldest parts a cave monastery)
Spain
- Monastery of San Juan de la Peña
Turkey
- Eski Gümüş
- Kloster Güzelyurt
- Selime
- Zelve
Ukraine
- Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
- Inkerman cave monastery of