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Meteora was a mountainous area in northern Greece, and was a harsh place for people to live. In the 9th century, some monks first began to live as monks in the natural caves here, and around the 14th century, they began to build the first monasteries. After the Byzantine Empire collapsed and the Ottoman Empire gained power, monks flocked here in search of a safe place, built monasteries, and lived independently. Thanks to this, it is said that Greece was able to maintain its own unique traditions even during the Ottoman Empire.