Mount Olympus

Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus: View from Litochoro
Mount Olympus Location of Mount Olympus in Greece
Elevation	2,919 metres (9,577 ft)
Location	Greece
Range	Olympus
Prominence	2,355 metres (7,726 ft)
Coordinates	40°5′00″N 22°21′00″E / 40.0833333°N 22.35°E / 40.0833333; 22.35Coordinates: 40°5′00″N 22°21′00″E / 40.0833333°N 22.35°E / 40.0833333; 22.35
Easiest route	Hike, some rock scramble
Listing	Country high point Ultra

Olympus' highest peak, Mýtikas or the "Throne of Zeus"

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Mount Olympus (Greek: Όλυμπος ; also transliterated as Ólympos, and on Greek maps, Óros Ólimbos) is the highest mountain range in Greece, its highest peak Mýtikas rising to 2,919 metres high (9,577 feet).^[1] It is one of the highest peaks in Europe in terms of topographic prominence.^[2] It is located in the borders of Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 km away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city.

Mount Olympus is noted for its very rich flora with several endemic species. The highest peak on Mount Olympus is Mitikas at 2,919 metres high (9,577 feet), which in Greek means "nose" (an alternative transliterated spelling of this name is "Mytikas"). Mitikas is the highest peak in Greece, the second highest being Skolio (2912 m).

In Greek mythology the mountain was regarded as the "home of the gods", specifically of the Twelve Olympians, the twelve principal gods of the ancient Hellenistic world.^[3]

Coin

The Mount Olympus and the national Park around it was recently selected as main motif for a high value euro collectors' coin: the €10 Greek National Park Olympus commemorative coin, minted in 2005. On the reverse, the War of the Titans on Mount Olympus is portrayed along with flowering branches on the lower part of the coin. Above the scene is written, in Greek, "National Park Olympus", while on the bottom of the coin, close to the edge, is the issuing year.

Climbing

Climbing Mount Olympus is a non-technical hike, except for the final 30 minute section from Skala summit to Mitikas summit, which is YDS class 3 rock scramble. It is estimated that 10,000 people climb Mount Olympus each year, most of them reaching only the Skolio summit (which does not involve rock scramble). Most climbs to Mount Olympus start from the town of Litochoro, which took the name City of Gods because of its location on the roots of the mountain. From there a road goes to Prionia, where the hike begins.

References

External links

• Mount Olympus
• Greek Mountain Flora
• Management Agency of Olympus National Park