The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas is the first to meet on our way from Kastraki to Meteora.

The catholic (‘Katholikon’), dedicated to Saint Nicholas, is a single – nave church with small dome, built in the beginning of 16th century. The catholic was made under the Metropolitan of Larisa Saint Dionysus the Merciful and under the abbot of Stagi, Monk Nikanoras.

It was decorated in 1527 by the Cretan painter Theophanis Strelitzas or Bathas, who is included in the most important hagiographers of Orthodoxy. At the frescos we can see the great perfection in the designing of the figures and the excellent chromatic reproduction.

Just like in the other monasteries, ascent to the St. Nicholas rock was made by ladders and the traditional net. The ascent took a long time because of the height of the rock. So, later they built steps carved in the rock.