Olympus: the mountain of Gods and Muses

The unknown Greece - mini travel guides Olympus: the mountain of Gods and Muses You are invited to meet the mountain of Gods and Muses, the mythical Olympus Friends of Nature Greece and Pieria Environmental Friends 2008 which is also part of the Greek NatureFriends network, on the occasion of 100 years after the first ascent on mount Olympus , publish this leaflet so as to promote Olympus the mountain of the Gods and the Muses. This leaflet about Olympus is the first one of a comming series about the “unknown Greece”. It's got the characteristics of a small tourist guide and aims to provide useful and reliable information causing both Greek and international interest in alternative forms of tourism. In nowadays economic, political and environmental crisis exarcebate with dramatic social impact. Nevertheless, Naturefriends have an important role in protecting the natural and urban environment and also in contributing by their own means in Greece's development. You are invited to visit Greece, to follow the “steps of the Olympian Gods”, admire the views and the scenery, enjoy the colours, scents and sounds of the mountain and, of course, get refreshed in Enipeas cool water. Olympus: The “residence” of the 12 Olympian Gods and the 9 Muses On the highest Greek mountain, the snowcovered Olympus (2918m / 9573ft), with the steep slopes and the incredible views, the ancient Greeks have chosen to place the residence of the 12 Olympian Gods and the 9 Muses. Ancient Greeks worshiped the 12 Olympian Gods, that had exactly the same vices and virtues with the mortals. They were: Zeus, king of the gods and ruler of mount Published by: Nature Friends ­ Greece | www.nfgr.org Olympus, Hera, wife and sister of Zeus, the goddess of mariage, Athena, goddess of wisdom, Artemis, goddess of wildlife and hunt, Demeter, goddess of nature, agriculture and fertility, Poseidon, god of the seas and water in general, Apollo, god of light, music and harmony, Hephaestus, master blacksmith and craftsman of the first recorded robot, Talos ­protector of Crete, Ares, god of war and conflict, Hermes, god of commerce, pilgrims and messanger of the gods, Hestia, a virgin goddess of the right ordering of the domesticity, Aphrodite goddess of love, beauty and desire. The majority of them (apart from Poseidon who lived in the sea and Ares who lived in Thrace) had their palaces on mount Olympus and all of them were built by The unknown Greece ­ mini travell guides, Issue 1 Olympus ­ the mountain of Gods and Muses 1