Mount Olympus is one of the great treasures of Greece. It is a famous geographical site, as well as the subject of many stories and myths.
2 August marks the anniversary of the first time it was climbed successfully in 1913, and every year tens of thousands of people travel to the mountain to climb it.
Here are five facts you probably didn't know about Mount Olympus.
It boasts the highest point in Greece
Mount Olympus's Mytikas peak rises to 2,918 metres, or around 9,573 ft, and is the highest point in Greece.
It is also the second highest peak in the Balkans, and one of the highest across all of Europe.
'Mytikas' means 'nose' in Greek.
Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens 30 show all Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens 1/30 A house threatened by a huge blaze during a wildfire in Kineta AFP/Getty 2/30 A woman reacts as she tries to find her dog Reuters 3/30 A helicopter flies over a wildfire raging in the town of Rafina, near Athens REUTERS 4/30 An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 5/30 Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina REUTERS 6/30 A man walks on the beach where burned trees hug the coastline in Mati east of Athens AP 7/30 People bring supplies for residents rescued from the wildfire in the village of Nea Makri AP 8/30 Flames rise as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina AFP/Getty Images 9/30 Firefighters carry a dead person AFP/Getty Images 10/30 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks to the media during his visit to the fire brigade's operational center in Athens EPA 11/30 An aerial view of a burnt urban area following fire in Kineta Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty 12/30 Reuters 13/30 Residents react as they look at their burned house EPA 14/30 Rescuers and volunteers push an inflatable boat as locals are evacuated REUTERS 15/30 An aerial view of an urban area burnt following fire in Mati Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty 16/30 AP 17/30 Asimina Psalti, 87, reacts as she sits outside her burned house in Mati east of Athens AP 18/30 A burnt forest following a wildfire in the village of Neos Voutzas AFP/Getty Images 19/30 People cover their faces from the smoke that fills the sky near Kineta AP 20/30 Smoke rise over an avenue during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa, a northeast suburb of Athens EPA 21/30 Melted metals from burned cars after a fire in Argyra Akti, Mati EPA 22/30 Firefighters look for missing persons REUTERS 23/30 Smoke fills the sky as members of the emergency services block a road near Kineta, west of Athens AP 24/30 Burnt cars at the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 25/30 Cars are blocked at the closed National Road AFP/Getty Images 26/30 A woman sprays water outside her house that was damaged in the wildfires near the village of Neos Voutzas AP 27/30 Smoke from a wildfire burning outside Athens is seen over the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill REUTERS 28/30 An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 29/30 Flames are seen next to firefighting vehicle during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa EPA 30/30 People look inside a burnt car REUTERS 1/30 A house threatened by a huge blaze during a wildfire in Kineta AFP/Getty 2/30 A woman reacts as she tries to find her dog Reuters 3/30 A helicopter flies over a wildfire raging in the town of Rafina, near Athens REUTERS 4/30 An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 5/30 Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina REUTERS 6/30 A man walks on the beach where burned trees hug the coastline in Mati east of Athens AP 7/30 People bring supplies for residents rescued from the wildfire in the village of Nea Makri AP 8/30 Flames rise as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina AFP/Getty Images 9/30 Firefighters carry a dead person AFP/Getty Images 10/30 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks to the media during his visit to the fire brigade's operational center in Athens EPA 11/30 An aerial view of a burnt urban area following fire in Kineta Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty 12/30 Reuters 13/30 Residents react as they look at their burned house EPA 14/30 Rescuers and volunteers push an inflatable boat as locals are evacuated REUTERS 15/30 An aerial view of an urban area burnt following fire in Mati Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty 16/30 AP 17/30 Asimina Psalti, 87, reacts as she sits outside her burned house in Mati east of Athens AP 18/30 A burnt forest following a wildfire in the village of Neos Voutzas AFP/Getty Images 19/30 People cover their faces from the smoke that fills the sky near Kineta AP 20/30 Smoke rise over an avenue during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa, a northeast suburb of Athens EPA 21/30 Melted metals from burned cars after a fire in Argyra Akti, Mati EPA 22/30 Firefighters look for missing persons REUTERS 23/30 Smoke fills the sky as members of the emergency services block a road near Kineta, west of Athens AP 24/30 Burnt cars at the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 25/30 Cars are blocked at the closed National Road AFP/Getty Images 26/30 A woman sprays water outside her house that was damaged in the wildfires near the village of Neos Voutzas AP 27/30 Smoke from a wildfire burning outside Athens is seen over the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill REUTERS 28/30 An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images 29/30 Flames are seen next to firefighting vehicle during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa EPA 30/30 People look inside a burnt car REUTERS
It was first climbed in 1913
The summit of Olympus was reached for the first time on 2 August 1913 by Swiss duo Frédéric Boissonnas and Daniel Baud-Bovy, who were assisted by a mountain guide called Christos Kakkalos.
Kakkalos remained the official guide of Olympus until his death in 1976.
It is estimated that around 10,000 people climb Olympus every year, with most of them only reaching as far as the Skolio summit.
It's a common feature of Greek mythology
Olympus was notable in Greek mythology as a home of the 12 Greek gods.
The nine Muses, daughters of the god Zeus, were traditionally placed in the region of Pieria, at the mount's northern foot.
Olympia was thought of by the Greeks as a metaphorical place as well as the physical mountain.
It is part of the Olympus National Park
The region was declared Greece's first national park in 1938.
The aim of this was ΄the preservation in perpetuity of the natural environment of the region, i.e. of wild flora, fauna and natural landscape, as well as its cultural and other values.'
In 1981, Olympus was proclaimed 'Biosphere Reserve' by UNESCO.
It has unique biodiversity
Olympus is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with 52 peaks and several deep gorges.
The entire Olympus area covers around 500 square kilometres, in a circular area with a circumference of 80km.
The area contains 32 species of mammals, 108 species of birds, many species of reptiles, amphibians and insects.
According to ancient Greek mythology, Mount Olympus is the home of the gods. Should mere mortals dare to climb so high? In 1913, three courageous climbers answered “yes,” scaling this 9,573-foot summit sculpted with deep ravines and abrupt upgrades. Swiss photographer Frédéric Boissonnas, his friend Daniel Baud-Bovy, and Christos Kakkalos, a Greek hunter who served as their guide, set off in treacherous weather.
Kakkalos knew the mountain so well that he scaled its sharp inclines barefoot. The Swiss had some experience in mountaineering, but Boissonnas had to lug heavy photographic equipment up the mountain. He and his friend, Baud-Bovy, were tied together with a rope, standard procedure for such expeditions.
During their climb, the summit where Greek gods were said to reside was wreathed with storm clouds, and the climbers mistook a lesser peak for the home of the gods. Thinking their ascent was done, the elated adventurers wrote cards describing their feat and put the notes in a bottle that they buried on a crest they christened Victory Top. When the mist cleared, they spied another, more impressive peak, called Mytikas.
Realizing their mistake, Boissonnas and Baud-Bovy barely paused to consider what they would do. When Kakkalos asked, “Shall we go up?” there was only one answer. With Kakkalos in the lead, the men continued upward, scrambling across the slippery gorge. Boissonnas later wrote that he was compelled by the fire of Prometheus, who stole fire from Athena and Hephaestus’ workshop on Mount Olympus, gifting it to humans to help them in their labors. On August 2, 1913 they reached the summit of the mountain all three had hoped to conquer.
Today’s Doodle celebrates their accomplishment and the fire that inspired them. May their legend live on for all time!
The internet giant Google celebrates Mount Olympus and the three climbers that scaled its rocky peak on August 2, 1913.
The 9,573-foot mountain was believed to be the home of the Greek gods in ancient times.
5 Google's latest doodle celebrates Mount Olympus
What happened in 1913?
In 1913, three climbers scaling the summit of the mountain sculpted with deep ravines and abrupt upgrades.
Swiss photographer Frédéric Boissonnas, his friend Daniel Baud-Bovy, and Christos Kakkalos, a Greek hunter who served as their guide, set off in treacherous weather.
Kakkalos knew the mountain so well that he scaled its sharp inclines barefoot.
The Swiss had some experience in mountaineering, but Boissonnas had to lug heavy photographic equipment up the mountain. He and his friend, Baud-Bovy, were tied together with a rope, standard procedure for such expeditions.
During their climb, the summit where Greek gods were said to reside was wreathed with storm clouds, and the climbers mistook a lesser peak for the home of the gods.
Thinking their ascent was done, the elated adventurers wrote cards describing their feat and put the notes in a bottle that they buried on a crest they christened Victory Top.
Getty - Contributor 5 Mount Olympus was believed to be the home of the gods in ancient Greece
When the mist cleared, they spied another, more impressive peak, called Mytikas.
Realizing their mistake, Boissonnas and Baud-Bovy barely paused to consider what they would do. When Kakkalos asked, “Shall we go up?” there was only one answer.
With Kakkalos in the lead, the men continued upward, scrambling across the slippery gorge. Boissonnas later wrote that he was compelled by the fire of Prometheus, who stole fire from Athena and Hephaestus’ workshop on Mount Olympus, gifting it to humans to help them in their labors.
On August 2, 1913 they reached the summit of the mountain all three had hoped to conquer.
Where is it in Greece?
It's located in the northeast of Greece in the region of Thessaly.
The mountain is set in a national park.
Olympus has many peaks and an almost circular shape. The mountain has a circumference of 93 miles.
At the foot of Mount Olympus, the archaeological site and museum of Dion offer an exhibit on the mountain and the remains of major temples of Isis and other divinities.
Getty - Contributor 5 The peak of Mount Olympus was first scaled in 1913
What's the mythology behind it?
During the time of the writer and poet Homer, Mount Olympus was believed to be where the gods lived with Zeus as their ruler.
Olympus was the name of the home of the 12 Olympian gods of the ancient world, which was conceived as a lofty mountaintop.
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Google is honouring the adventurous spirit of the first three men to scale Mount Olympus.
Today's Google Doodle marks 105 years since two pals and their guide decided to climb the 'home of the gods'.
In 1913, the three courageous climbers decided mere mortals should try and reach the top of the famous mountain and set out on their journey to scale the 9,573-foot summit.
Despite the dangerous terrain, Swiss photographer Frédéric Boissonnas, his friend Daniel Baud-Bovy, and Christos Kakkalos, a Greek hunter who served as their guide, set off in treacherous weather to climb Mount Olympus .
(Image: Google)
Kakkalos knew the mountain so well that he was able to climb the mountain barefoot.
The Swiss had some experience in mountaineering, but Boissonnas had to lug heavy photographic equipment with him.
He and his friend, Baud-Bovy, were tied together with a rope during their climb.
However, their ascent to the top wasn't so straight forward.
When they reached what they believed to be summit, it was surrounded by storm clouds.
(Image: Frederic Boissonnas)
(Image: Moment RF)
They started celebrating and wrote cards describing their feat which they put in a bottle that they buried on a crest they christened Victory Top.
But their victory was short-lived as when the mist cleared, they saw another, more impressive peak, called Mytikas.
Realising their mistake, Boissonnas and Baud-Bovy barely paused to consider what they would do.
Kakkalos asked whether they wanted to go up and they all agreed.
He led the way and the men continued upward, scrambling across the slippery gorge.
Boissonnas later wrote that he was compelled to keep going by the fire of Prometheus, who stole fire from Athena and Hephaestus’ workshop on Mount Olympus, gifting it to humans to help them in their labors.
(Image: Moment RF)
On August 2, 1913 they finally reached the summit of the mountain they had hoped to conquer.
Today’s Doodle celebrates their accomplishment and the fire that inspired them.
Around 10,000 people climb Mount Olympus each year, most of them reaching only the Skolio summit.
In Greek mythology the mountain was created after the epic battle of Titanomachy between the young gods, the Olympians, and the older gods, the Titans.
After winning the battle, the Olympian victors created their new majestic home – Mount Olympus.
(Image: Moment RF)
The mountain was shielded from human eyes by clouds which constantly obscured its peaks.
All 12 Olympian gods, Zeus and his wife Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo, Demeter, Hester, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hephaestus and Ares, resided at Mount Olympus:
Every year, pagans gather at Mount Olympus to honour the gods.
