The highest mountain in Greece. What is Parnassus? Myths and interesting places of the sacred mountain in Greece The most famous mountain in Greece
You lower your eyes and gasp with delight - all around are snow-capped peaks, tall pine trees, or the alluring azure lying at the foot of the sea.
The highest mountain in Greece is Olympus, which is located in Thessaly. Many of us are familiar with it from ancient Greek mythology. If you remember, it was on Olympus that the gods of the Greeks lived and this myth was born for a reason. The height of this mountain range reaches 2917 meters. It is the massif, because of this, that all the confusion occurs, since most often, the highest mountain in Greece is called Mytikas, but this is not a mountain in itself, but just one of the peaks of the Olympic mountain range. Its height reaches 2919 meters, the next highest peaks are Scolio, height 2912 meters and Stephanie 2909 meters. Mount Olympus is not one peak or two peaks, it is about 50 peaks, the heights of which range from 760 to 2919 meters. These peaks are cut by numerous ravines, which create beautiful and terrifying landscapes. The highest mountain in Greece was conquered only in 1913.
According to researcher Richard Onians, the legendary ambrosia - the food of the Olympian gods, giving them youth and immortality - is the divine equivalent of olive oil. So every Greek could taste the divine dish.
In ancient times, the Greeks believed that twelve main gods lived on Mount Olympus, who, under the leadership of the main god Zeus, crushed the Titans, and after that order reigned in the world. Olympus, in addition to serving as the abode of the gods in ancient times, also performed another function. Served as a natural border between Macedonia and Greece. Over time, the mythology of the ancient Greeks changed a little and Olympus began to be called not only the mountain, but the entire sky above Greece, in fact, the ancient gods now lived there.
In ancient Greek mythology, Olympus is a sacred mountain, the seat of the gods led by Zeus. Olympus is a mountain in Thessaly where the gods live. The name Olympus is of pre-Greek origin (a possible connection with the Indo-European root “to rotate”, i.e. an indication of the roundness of the peaks) and belongs to a number of mountains of Greece and Asia Minor. On Olympus are the palaces of Zeus and other gods, built and decorated by Hephaestus. The gates of Olympus are opened and closed by the Oras as they ride out in golden chariots. Olympus is thought of as a symbol of the supreme power of the new generation of Olympian gods who defeated the Titans. Initially, Olympus (it is unknown which one) was occupied by the snake-like titan Ophion and his oceanid wife Eurynome. Cronus and Rhea liked this place, and they occupied it, expelling Ophion and Eurynome, who had found refuge in the ocean. Cronos and Rhea were expelled from Olympus by Zeus. The gods lived a carefree and cheerful life.
Flemish painter Peter Rubens painted “The Feast of the Gods on Olympus”. Researchers could not determine the exact date of its painting until astronomers saw the picture. They found that the characters were located exactly the same as the planets in the sky in 1602.
The gates of Olympus were guarded by the virgin goddesses of time ora. Neither beast nor man could wander there. Gathering together, the gods and goddesses feasted, enjoying ambrosia, which restored strength and gave immortality. They quenched their thirst with fragrant nectar. Nectar and ambrosia were carried to the gods and goddesses by the handsome young man Ganymede. There was no shortage of entertainment on Olympus. To please the ears and eyes of the celestials, the white-legged Kharites, goddesses of eternal joy, holding hands, led round dances. Sometimes Apollo himself took up the cithara, and all nine muses sang along with him in agreement.
If you got tired of music, songs and dances, you could go from the heights of Olympus. look at the ground. The most fascinating sight for the gods was the war that flared up here and there. The inhabitants of Olympus had their favorites. One sympathized with the Greeks, the other with the Trojans. Sometimes, seeing that his charges were being crowded, first one or the other god left the place of observation and, descending to the ground, entered into battle. Entering into a rage, the combatants did not see the difference between mortals and celestials. Then the gods had to flee, clutching the colorless, fragrant blood flowing in streams with their palms.
As Greek myths say, the gods, having settled on Olympus, agreed that it did not belong to any of them, and decided not to choose a ruler. But soon Zeus and his brothers and sisters seized power: Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Hestia and Demeter. Zeus, the supreme god, was the youngest of them in age.
Subsequently, when the people of the ancient world learned more about the universe, by Olympus they began to understand not just one mountain, but the entire sky. It was believed that Olympus covers the earth like a vault and the Sun, Moon and Stars wander along it. When the Sun stood at its zenith, they said that it was at the top of Olympus. They thought that in the evening, when it passes through the western gate of Olympus, i.e. The sky closes, and in the morning it is opened by the goddess of dawn Eos.
Now the entire massif is a nature reserve. By visiting it you can see rare representatives of Greek flora and fauna, and from the mountain itself there is a stunning view of Greece. Many tourists want to visit this ancient abode of the gods. However, it will not be possible to get to the top itself due to the English military radar installed there.
In 1938, Olympus was declared a national reserve; more than 1,700 species of plants and animals that grow and live only here make up the unique ecosystem of this mountainous region. Protected by UNESCO since 1981. Since 1985 it has been declared an archaeological monument.
The holy martyr Neophytos lived in a cave on the slope of Olympus. At the age of 15, he came to the mountain for a white dove. A huge lion lived in the cave, but, having heard the words of Neophyte, he submitted to him and went to another place. Neophyte lived in this cave until the time of his martyrdom, when the ruler Decius ordered him to be killed.
In 1961, a temple of Zeus was discovered on one of the peaks of Ayios Antonios, dating from the Hellenistic to the late Christian period. The remains of sacrificial animals, coins, and statues were discovered. Also discovered in various places was the temple of Apollo of Delphi and the ancient tomb of Orpheus. The Temple of Apollo is located at an altitude of 1000 meters, and it is known that it was from there that Xenagoras, using a telescope and geometric calculations, determined the height of Olympus to be 2960 meters, which is not so far from the truth. A few hundred meters from shelter A there is an exit to the monastery of St. Dionysius, built by himself and dated 1542. Throughout time it was destroyed more than once, but the greatest damage was caused during the Second World War.
Over the next 60 years it was in the process of reconstruction. More precisely, individual buildings were reconstructed, but the dilapidated ancient walls were kept intact, reminiscent of the fact that even in the sanctuary of antiquity, unfortunately, the evil of war penetrated. The interesting thing is that to this day, it is active, so the monks ask visitors to be dressed appropriately, as indicated by the sign at the entrance. A 20-minute walk over rough terrain is a sacred cave, apparently where a saint originally lived. The place is secluded and conducive to meditation. Along the way there is a mountain river, in which it is forbidden to swim and pollute it, since the water there is drinkable, cold and tasty.
Words, words...Words are empty if they are not confirmed by our main source of information - vision. The places are truly amazing. Even if you are not moved by the thought that thousands of years ago people dedicated their lives to the gods living on Olympus, even if the very existence of these mountains long before us and long after us does not inspire awe, nevertheless the nature here is capable of delighting the most picky person. Its beauty is beyond competition, it envelops.
The White Mountains (Levka Ori) is a large mountain range 40 km long, with 50 peaks from 2000 to 2253 meters, located in the southwest of the island of Crete.
They got their name from the eternally white peaks of the mountains, in which about 50 gorges are hidden.
If you are going to the mountains, you will definitely need very good physical condition, hiking experience and a very good sense of direction, since the chance of getting lost in these mountains is very high.
Snow covers most peaks until June. The peaks consist mainly of large rocks and gravel, making climbing on the steep slopes very difficult.
Nearby, the southern slopes are covered with greenery - cypress, oaks and pines, while the inland areas have more moisture. The White Mountains are home to rare species of animals, birds and reptiles.
Dikti Mountains
Dikti is a mountain range in the east of the island of Crete. It is here that the famous Dictaean cave is located, in which, according to the mythical legend, the goddess Rhea gave birth to Zeus. Her husband Kronos had a bad habit - in view of his predicted death from one of his children, Kronos devoured all the offspring that Rhea bore to him. Not wanting to put up with this state of affairs, Rhea hid Zeus in the Dictaean cave.
To get to the Dictaean Cave you need to drive 35 kilometers west from the city of Agios Nikolaos, and then walk more than a kilometer along the foot of the mountain. If you find the climb difficult, you can always rent a donkey. The cave itself remained an excavation site for a long time - many figurines and ceramics dedicated to Zeus were found here.
White Mountains and Lake Kourna
The White Mountains and Lake Kourna are one of the most amazing and fascinating places on Earth. The beautiful mountain, two thousand meters high, will force any rock climbing enthusiast to at least try to climb to its peak, covered with white snow. Even from the foot of the snow-capped giant there is an excellent view of the area extending near the mountains, not to mention what can be seen from the top.
Not far from the mountain, Lake Kurna, with a circumference of three and a half kilometers, overflowed. There are a large number of legends about this lake, one of which says that this lake has no bottom. However, if you believe the measurements, the maximum depth of this lake reaches 23 meters. When the mountain casts its reflection on the water surface of the lake, everyone will involuntarily admire this delightful spectacle.
Dictey Mountains
Diktean Mountains (another name is Dikti) is a mountain range in the east of the island of Crete, located in the Lassithi region. On the peaks at an altitude of 1024 meters above sea level there is the Dictey Cave.
Dikti is famous for this particular cave - guides bring tourists here from all over the world. This is the most popular tourist site on the island of Crete, famous for the fact that, according to ancient Greek mythology, the newborn Zeus was hidden here from Kronos.
The Diktean mountain range can be reached by donkeys - the area is famous for its steep paths, and the ascent is only possible with animals. There is an entrance fee to the cave; you go down a metal staircase; inside it there is electric lighting, which will allow you to see Zeus’s hideout in detail. From the entrance one can admire the stunning views of the Lasithi Valley.
Summit of Olympus - Mytikas
The highest mountain in Greece is the legendary Mount Olympus, or rather one of its peaks is Mytikas, reaching a height of 2919 meters above sea level. Olympus is located on the border of Greek Thessaly and the Republic of Macedonia. Mount Olympus is not one peak or two peaks, it is about 50 peaks, the heights of which range from 760 to 2919 meters. These peaks are cut by numerous ravines, which create beautiful and terrifying landscapes. The highest mountain in Greece was conquered only in 1913.
In ancient times, the Greeks believed that twelve main gods lived on Mount Olympus, who, under the leadership of the main god Zeus, crushed the Titans, and after that order reigned in the world.
Climbing Olympus
The top of Olympus is covered with snow all year round, and when the weather is clear, it sparkles in the sun. The length of the ridge, which includes Mount Olympus, is 20 kilometers.
Ordinary tourists do not rise higher than the foot of Olympus. However, people with special training can reach the top within 6 hours. The base for climbing the mountain and visiting the reserve is the village of Litokhoron, located near the foot of the mountain.
Olympic Reserve
The area adjacent to the mountain has been a national nature reserve since 1938. There is a rich flora and fauna here. Some animals are relict. Here you can meet deer, badgers, wild boars, and forest wild cats. About 1,700 plant species grow on Mount Olympus. There are birch and oak forests, groves of Macedonian spruce. For many centuries, a unique yew grove has been growing in the vicinity of the Dionysius Monastery.
The name Mount Olympus has long become a common noun, meaning something grandiose. Even the highest mountain on the planet Mars is called Olympus.
Greece is a country with an unusually diverse topography. There are many plains and mountains of varying heights, each of which plays an important role in human life. What is the highest mountain in Greece and what other hills deserve attention?
This mountain is known throughout the world due to its significance in Greek mythology. Even at school there are myths about the gods of Olympus - Zeus, Aphrodite, Hera - who ate ambrosia, and also loved, got angry, took revenge, in general, behaved like ordinary people. The ancient Greeks treated the gods as real creatures and even believed that sometimes they descended down to ordinary people.
In fact, Olympus (or Olympus in Greek) is not just a mountain, but an entire mountain range with forty peaks. The largest of them rises to 2917 meters. All peaks are densely covered with a variety of vegetation, some of its representatives are not found anywhere else in the world. And on the peaks there are silver caps of snow all year round.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, people were afraid to climb high into the mountains. But in 1913, a Greek named Christos Kakalas finally conquered the highest peak of Olympus. In 1938, the entire mountain range (4,000 hectares) was officially declared a national park. And 43 years later it also became a biosphere reserve, according to UNESCO.
Is it possible to climb the mountain?
Today, almost anyone can climb Olympus and feel like an ancient Greek god. Numerous excursion tours are organized, in which the best thing is that even a person without sports training, for example, an ordinary tourist, can participate. All you need is to stock up on warm clothes and everything else you need for the hike.
There are daredevils who climb Olympus on their own, but it is still better for a beginner to do this as part of a tourist group. You can climb to a height of 1100 meters by car, but beyond that you can only go on foot. Along the way there will be a hotel where you can relax.
There are a lot of interesting sights and settlements near Olympus. For example, noteworthy:
- Dion. An ancient city that was most actively used for the worship of the gods. He was kind of iconic. During excavations, a lot of interesting things were found here - theaters, temples, baths and other evidence of the rich cultural life of the ancient Greeks.
- Monastery of Saint Dionysius. This building is located directly on the mountainside, at an altitude of 850 meters. There is also a museum on the territory of the monastery, where you can examine various church utensils, which are centuries old.
This 2637 meter high peak is the second most important in Greece. It is surrounded by several villages and also has three rivers flowing from the mountain. The slopes are covered with abundant vegetation, beech and deciduous trees are especially common. In some places there are beautiful alpine lakes.
The mountain range, located partly in Greece and partly in Macedonia, includes a 2,524-meter peak as well as several other significant peaks. All of them are covered with forests of pine, beech and birch, and there are ski resorts. On the main peak there is a small church and a monument to the Serbs who died in the First World War.
This peak has a height of 2520 meters and is also covered with dense forests. Grammos gives rise to several streams and small rivers, as well as the largest river in Greece - Aliakmon. There is also a park there, which includes exhibition halls and some research infrastructure facilities. The purpose of the park is to simultaneously demonstrate the beauty of the mountain environment, steeped in the past, and the desire for the future.
A hill with a purely alpine type, the height of which is 2510 meters. Its slopes are very picturesque due to ravines, depressions, and meadows. The fauna is also very diverse - predatory eagles fly over the rocks, and wolves and wild boars live in the forests on the slopes. Residents of local villages keep goats and sheep. But there is little water here - there are several springs, but in the summer they dry up.
The sixth highest mountain in Greece (2497 meters) annually welcomes more than 100,000 tourists, who are attracted not only by the wonderful nature, but also by the atmosphere shrouded in legends. The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Vikos Aoos National Park. This is a protected area; the behavior of tourists is strictly monitored here. This is due to the fact that the region is a habitat for rare animals, including birds of prey.
The highest peak of this massif reaches 2495 meters, making it the second highest in Central Greece and the seventh highest in the whole country. This is the southern branch of Mount Pindus, which is also divided into three parts - Southern, Western and Northern. Around the mountain there is very lush vegetation, including rare representatives of the flora.
The height of this peak is 2457 meters. Like Olympus, Parnassus played an important role in Greek mythology. They named him in honor of the son of the goddess Cleodora. The gods who lived on this mountain loved art, especially music. According to legend, they played the lyre, sang and danced - so over time, the hill became associated with Apollo, the god of art and leader of the muses.
The height of this peak is 2456 meters, just a meter lower than Parnassus, and it is the highest point on the Greek island of Crete. It was in one of the local caves, according to legend, that Zeus was born. Modern excavations have shown that this cave served as a place of worship for the ancient Greeks, and many religious objects have been found here.
Lefka Ori
In translation, the name of this peak, whose height is 2453 meters, means “bald”. Unlike the vast majority of Greek mountains, Lefka Ori has almost no vegetation on its slopes. Instead, they are covered with limestone, which gives them a whitish color.
This is just a small part of the beautiful Greek mountains scattered throughout the country. Each of them is truly unique, and each is worth visiting and seeing with your own eyes.
Greek mountains
Greek land is rightfully considered one of the cradles of modern civilization. At least in the European expanses, its culture has become perhaps the most important in determining the development of many local peoples (and not only neighboring ones).
Many significant philosophical trends, the foundations of culture, literature, art and a fair number of others that determine the movement of nations towards civilization, all had Hellenic roots in one way or another.
Is it worth mentioning that this power, every square centimeter of which breathes with legends of ancient times, still attracts many foreigners with its beauties? ! Tourists come to admire not only the preserved architectural masterpieces, but also the natural wonders. Moreover, often the highest mountain in Ancient Greece becomes the subject of their interest.
Mountain range "Olympus"
To determine which one is larger than the others, it’s not a sin to at least recall ancient mythology. Where could the Hellenes “settle” their supreme gods, if not on the hill closest to heaven? Therefore, undoubtedly, Olympus can be considered the highest. By the way, this is not a single mountain, but an entire massif, located in the northeastern part of Thessaly (the historical region of Hellas). Its most significant peak, in terms of “growth” indicators, is considered to be Mitikas, whose height is about 2917 meters. Scolio is five meters shorter than him and Stephanie is another seven meters shorter. The latter is better known by the nickname “throne of Zeus”, and from a certain angle it really seems like a kind of giant back of a chair or a place where someone great and royal sits.
In ancient times, Olympus represented the natural border between Greece and Macedonia. It is not surprising that this was exactly the case, since this mountain range seemed very frightening to the inhabitants of those places at that time, so that they could even decide to approach it, and not even try to cross it. This massif has about fifty peaks and a fair number of ravines, which in their totality present a magnificent and, at the same time, seemingly ominous spectacle.
Conquerors of Olympus
However, the indecision of the Hellenes (and their then geographical neighbors) in terms of conquering Olympus was probably influenced by the sacred horror of the great likelihood of becoming a victim of divine wrath. To disturb the peace of the most formidable celestial beings (a dozen of whom were supposedly located in those places) led by the thunderer Zeus himself - what could be more terrible in the minds of those peoples! ?
The first climbers appeared on Olympus only at the beginning of the last century. It was then that the highest mountain in Ancient Greece conquered them. By the way, even now only people who are extremely experienced in such matters try to climb Mitikas, since it requires a fair amount of skill, and, by the way, the weather must certainly be favorable.
Olympus now
Now Olympus is interesting not only as a location covered in legends, but also as a Greek national reserve. It contains over one and a half thousand plants, which represent approximately a quarter of the entire fauna of this country, and a couple of dozen of them are endemic (that is, they exist only here). Also, this mountain range is home to about ten species of amphibians, a little over twenty of reptiles, more than thirty of wild animals and about one and a half hundred of birds.
It’s definitely worth visiting this wonderful world, marked by ancient mythology, at least once. If you don’t climb the legendary mountain, at least see it in person, which will give you the opportunity to touch ancient history full of mysteries.
