Attraction for the rugged nature
What a flat, dull place the world would be without mountains. Formed over millions of years by relentless movements of the planet's crust, squeezing and lifting land upwards to the sky, mountain ranges make up about a fifth of the Earth's surface. With their ever-changing weather, ravaging winds and freezing temperatures, mountains provide very different environments and unique wildlife that's adapted to live life on the craggy slopes, barren snow-caps or alpine meadows. As the water towers of our world, mountains store and deliver water to the rivers on which all our lives depend.
Greece, the third most mountainous country in Europe after Norway and Albania has more than 300 larger or smaller mountains, which covers some 80 percent of its landmass. At one end of the backbone of Greece are the peaks of Varnountas and Grammos and on the other the Pindos range, majestic Olympus, home of the gods, just north of verdant Pelion. And then it’s south, down to Taygetos in the Peloponnese and on to Asterousia in southern Crete.
For the ancients, the mountains were identified with the gods. The Ourea (Ορη) were primordial deities in Greek mythology, children of Gaia alone. They represented the mountains of the world that was known to Greeks at the time. The ten Ourea were Aitna, Athos, Helikon, Kithairon, Nysos, Olympus, Oreios, Parnes, and Tmolus.
Mount Olympus , the highest mountain in the Greek peninsula, dominating the Aegean to the east and, to the north and south, the Macedonian and Thessalian plains. Considered to be the throne of Zeus and home of the gods, it held an important place in religion, mythology and literature.
In Greek mythology the twelve gods of Olympus ruled the world after the defeat of the Titans. Most were believed to dwell on Mount Olympus, whose peaks were shrouded in cloud and therefore hidden from mortal sight.
Homer, mentions Mount Olympus several times in the Iliad, referred to as gleaming and great:
“The son of Cronos spoke, and bowed his dark brow in assent, and the ambrosial lock waved from the kingʼs immortal head; and he made great Olympus quake. When the two had taken counsel together in this way, they parted; she leapt straightway into the deep sea from gleaming Olympus, and Zeus went to his own palace”.
(Homer, The Iliad, translated from Greek by E. Earl of Derby ,1910, Book I, 528-532).
And ….. Greeks always felt attraction for the rugged nature…