The Holy Monastery of Saint Nicolas Anapafsas is the first Monastery (on our left hand side) that we meet as going up to the Holy Meteora. The monastery is only a short walk from Kastraki (a small village just 2 km away from Kalambaka). It is built on an 85 metres’ high rock and is surrounded by the deserted monasteries of John Prodromos, Holy Trinity and the chapel of Panagia Doupiani.

The Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas was founded at the end of the 15th century. The limited surface of the rock forced the building of the monastery to be built on floors, one on top of the other.

Access is achieved through an inbuilt staircase. At the entrance of the Monastery lie the Church of St. Anthony and the crypt where codes and the monastery’s heirlooms were previously stored. On the walls, paintings of the 14th Century can be seen.

The Katholikon, where St. Nicolas is honoured, is on the second floor and it is elongated and stuck on to the south side of the wall of the monastery. The dome of the church is low and has no windows.

On the third floor rests the Holy Table, decorated with murals. The Table, recently restored, is used as a reception area for the visitors. There is even the ossuary, the cells of the monks and the chapel of St. John  Prodromos.

Since the space is restricted and there is no courtyard, the monks could only gather in the narthex, which was roomy, when there were no liturgies in the nave.

 For the name "Anapafsas" there are numerous interpretations. It is highly probable that it was attributed the name of one of the monastery’s benefactors.

The monastery and the current Katholikon of the Monastery were renovated in the early 16th century by the Bishop of Larisa Nicolas, Saint Dionysus and the Abbot of Stagi, Monk Nikanoras.  There are portraits of the founders painted in the narthex of the Monastery.

The 1527 AD the hagiography of the Monastery was completed by Theophanis the Cretan, who is included in the most significant hagiographers of the Mount Athos’ monasteries and Orthodoxy in general. His exquisite murals are considered to be the best in Meteora and render the monastery a true gem, abounding in vitality, plasticity, freshness and bright tones. There is also a notable overall high quality and excellence in design and color of the figures. The rules and the aesthetic principles of the Cretan mural school have been formulated here.

The monastery has been closed and without monks since 1909. That year, N. Veis paid a visit to the monastery to record the existent manuscripts. He discovered 50 codes which were transferred to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, where they are still kept today.

In the 1960s, the monastery was reconstructed and restored under the supervision of the 7th Inspectorate of Antiquities. There has also been maintenance of the murals, which regained their old splendor.

Translation by Christine Boutsia