What is Parnassus? Myths and interesting places of the sacred mountain in Greece. The highest mountains in different countries: Hungary, Austria, Greece and Argentina, their names and heights

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.

What is Parnassus? For many years (and even centuries) this word has been synonymous with art and cultural figures. In ancient times, this was the name of the mountain from which, in fact, it all began. We will present you with legendary and more prosaic details about her.

What is Parnassus?

The name Parnassus dates back to pre-Greek times and, apparently, refers to the Hittite-Luwian languages. Their word parnassas is supposed to be derived from the word for "house" or "temple" and is interpreted as "the mountain where the god dwells."

However, there is another version, according to which the name is the Paleo-Balkan word “locust” - an epithet denoting Apollo. It was with this god, the patron of the arts, that the ancient Greeks associated the mountain. Subsequently, the term was transferred to cultural figures themselves.

In the 19th century, the literary movement of the Parnassian school arose in France. It included Théophile Gautier, Leconte de Lisle, Georges Leconte, Sully-Prudhomme. Their work was close to Verlaine, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, and in Russia their poems were translated by Bryusov, Voloshin, Bunin, Zhukovsky, etc.

Mountain in Greece

Parnassus is one of the largest mountain ranges of mainland Greece and belongs to the greater Pindus massif. It is located in the central part of the country, and stretches from the top of Eta to the Gulf of Corinth. Territorially belongs to the nome (prefecture) of Phocis.

On the slopes of the mountain there is the modern city of Delphi, as well as the ruins of the ancient village of the same name. Nearby are the villages of Itea and Arachova. The top of Mount Parnassus is forked. The highest peak, Liakura, has a height of 2547 meters, the second peak, Tiforea, reaches 2395 meters.

The foothills and slopes of the mountain are covered with Mediterranean vegetation, which with height turns into coniferous forests and alpine meadows. Like most other massifs, this one is composed of limestone rocks and has bauxite deposits. Due to the climate and fairly high altitude, the rocky peaks are consistently covered with snow from December to April. In winter, the Parnas ski center opens here.

Myths of the mountain

What is Parnassus? Ancient Greek shrine, shrine of Dionysus, Themis and Gaia, abode of Apollo and the nine muses. There are many myths associated with this mountain. Hellenic pilgrims visited it to pray to the gods and learn about the future, and ritual celebrations were held near the Corycian cave.

According to legend, Zeus, the head of the Olympian gods, decided to send a flood to sinful people. As in the biblical story, not everyone died. Deucalion and his wife managed to escape. On the advice of his father, he built an ark. On the ninth day of the voyage, the ship stopped at Mount Parnassus. Deucalion made a sacrifice to Zeus, and he allowed the human race to be revived.

Another story is connected with Apollo - the god of arts and healing, patron of the muses. He killed the evil serpent Python, who wrapped Parnassus in nine rings and did not give its inhabitants peace. Apollo shot about a hundred arrows at him, after which Gaia sent him into exile for 8 years. In honor of God, an oracle was founded in Delphi, where a priestess or Pythia predicted the future.

The mountain and its surroundings

To see with your own eyes what Parnassus is, you can go along one of the walking routes. They start from Delphi and Arachova or from the south-eastern slopes of the mountain. Along marked paths you can reach the Corycian Cave or Corikion Androna, dedicated to Pan. It is located at an altitude of 1370 meters, and it takes about 4 hours to walk to it.

Continuing the path, you can reach the top of Liakura. At night, tourists often stop at the small village of Kalivya, which is a forty-minute walk from the cave. Paths lead upward from the village of Titorei, located on the other side of the mountain. From the top you can enjoy dazzling views; in good weather you can clearly see the Peloponnese and Mount Olympus.

A significant part of the massif is Parnassus National Park. Cephalonian spruces grow here, foxes, wild boars, wolves, badgers, vultures and golden eagles live here. On one of the mountain slopes is the village of Arachova with interesting Greek architecture. Local residents are famous for making handmade carpets.

Below, at the foot of the mountain is the village of Itea. It is located on the very shore of the bay, eight kilometers from Delphi. In the past it was a prosperous trading port, now it is a typical tourist town. Nearby there are extensive olive groves that guests of Itea love to visit.

Delphi

The ancient city of Delphi, located on a sacred mountain in Greece, was considered not only the main place of divination, but also the “Navel of the Earth,” which was symbolized by the omphalos stone. The city was considered a pan-Greek sanctuary, and the local oracle had influence on political and religious life.

The ruins of Delphi are located at an altitude of 700 meters, nine kilometers from the Gulf of Corinth. The remains of the temple of Apollo and Athena, an amphitheater, a gymnasium and a stadium are still preserved here. Around the 6th century BC, the city hosted the Pythian Games - the second large-scale event after the Olympics.

Modern Delphi is located near archaeological sites. This is a very small town that can be easily explored on foot. Of course, from a tourist point of view it is of little interest; people stop there in order to see the ancient village and the mountain itself.

Holidays in Greece have become very popular among Russian residents, especially in recent years - the years of the crisis in Hellas, due to which prices for accommodation and food have noticeably decreased. Traveling to this country can be wonderful in many ways: there are amazing landscapes, a pleasant climate, seven seas, ancient history and culture, excellent national cuisine and the unique mentality of the local population. There is room to turn around!

In this article we will dwell in detail on the natural beauties of Greece, namely the mountain ranges. There are many mountains in Greece, most of the peaks are at an altitude of 1000-1500 meters above sea level, but there are also several impressive peaks rising to 2500 meters and above! The myths of Ancient Greece and many other legends of the same period give a special charm to the Greek mountains.

The highest point of Hellas is Mytikas, which is part of the Tharsis mountain range. But, to us, it is better known as the legendary Olympus, the abode of Zeus, Hera and other old gods. Olympus is just a little short of the three kilometer mark with a height of 2917 meters. Mytikas is located on the territory of a nature reserve of national importance, and the nearest hotels are 10 kilometers from the foot. If you intend to climb Olympus, ski or bike in its surroundings, then you should settle in Elatochori.

Olympus is a few meters inferior in height to two mountains that are part of the same mountain range: Scolio (2912 meters) and Stephanie (2905 meters). The top five highest mountains in Hellas are Smolikas (2637 meters) and Gamila (2497 meters). It is worth mentioning that a visit to Gamila is also interesting with a walk along one of the picturesque high-mountain alpine lakes Drakolimni.

Some peaks are famous not so much for their height or total area, but for their connection to ancient myths and legends. Mountains of this kind include Parnassus, Athos and Helikon. On the slopes of the latter, for example, there are sacred springs of the ancient Greek muses, if you believe the myths. And on Parnassus, according to the same myths, there was the Delphic oracle founded by Apollo himself.

The Timfi mountain range is of tourist interest. When planning to travel around Greece, you should also stop by and feel the beauty of the high mountain lakes and the mystery of natural vertical caves. There are guided tours to most of these caves. The depth of the Provatina cave is 408 meters, and the Epos cave is as much as 451 meters!

The most convenient way to travel around Greece is in a personal car, which can be rented using a very useful service from the website Momondo.ru - traveler's calendar. With its help, you can choose an inexpensive hotel with the best accommodation conditions and find the lowest airline rates. Finally, we will present you with some general tips regarding the profitable purchase of air tickets to Athens:

• The cheapest tickets can be found on UIA flights, but, on the contrary, Vueling Airlines is famous for its consistently high fares;
• The best time of year to fly to the capital of Greece, in terms of economy, is mid-January;
• Tickets must be booked 2 months before the planned departure date;
• And the optimal combination for saving is to fly from Domodedovo Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Greece has long been famous for its mountains. True, not so much because of the unprecedented heights, but because of the legends associated with them. Just remember Olympus - the sacred mountain in ancient Greek mythology, where, according to legend, Zeus himself lived. For this reason, the Greek gods are often called Olympians. The most interesting thing is that Olympus is the highest Greek mountain.

Olympus

Currently, Olympus is a mythological and historical symbol, as well as a protected natural monument. The reserve, located near the mountain, is interesting because its territory contains a huge number of plants - more than 1,700 species, but animals - ten times less.

You can climb Olympus on your own without any problems. Usually the ascent begins from the town of Litokhoron, where the information center for climbing enthusiasts is located. Here you can take a taxi and get to Prionia, which is located at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level. There is a restaurant, toilet, and parking here. There is no hotel, but you can spend the night in the monastery of St. Dionysius, which is located nearby. Then, on foot, you can reach the so-called Shelter A, located at an altitude of 2100 meters. From here you can reach other shelters and the summit.

The highest peak of Olympus is Mytikas, its height is 2917 meters. There are others, but they are somewhat lower.

Zmolikas

The second place is occupied by Mount Zmolikas. It is located in northwestern Greece. The height of the largest peak reaches 2638 meters. The length of the mountain is, according to various estimates, from 15 to 20 km, and its width is about 10 km.

Near the mountain there are two nature reserves, and on one of the slopes you can find the Alpine-type Drakolimni Lake.

Nije

Bronze goes to Mount Nidje, which is located on the border of Greece and Macedonia. The highest point is Kaymakchalan Peak, which is located at 2521 m above sea level. Since the peak is quite popular, it is often called the mountain itself.

Nije is considered a very old mountain, older than many others located in the country. Very rich in animal species, not many plants.

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.