Taygetos (or Taygetus) is among the highest mountains in Greece, and the highest one in the Peloponnese. It is known for its beautiful landscapes, with lush vegetation, rich fauna but also picturesque and historic villages.
Geography and geology
Taygetos is located in southeastern Peloponnese, covering areas from the prefectures of Laconia, Messinia, and Arcadia. Its peak, Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elias), stands at around 2,404 m (7,887 ft). It is characterized by steep ridges, deep gorges, and green valleys. It is mainly made up of limestone and dolomite, featuring extensive karst formations such as caves, sinkholes, and underground rivers.
Biodiversity
Mount Taygetus encompasses large areas that form part of the Natura 2000 protected areas network: both Special Protection Areas (SPAs), designated under the Birds Directive, and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), established under the Habitats Directive to protect habitats and other wildlife.
It features several distinct plant life zones, which change with altitude; lower slopes are covered by Mediterranean vegetation, such as shrubs and wild olive trees; middle elevations are characterized by coniferous forests with firs, pines, and cypresses, while the subalpine zone only features low shrubs and some scattered trees, and the alpine zone is made up of rocky slopes with sparse vegetation. On the other hand, the mountain’s ravines create microclimates thanks to their moisture and shade, favoring plant life such as linden, myrtle, ivy, etc.
The mountain hosts over 1,000 plant species; of those, about 100 are endemic to Greece, and about 33 are endemic to the Taygetos region itself. Among the flora species that are unique to the region we encounter mostly herbaceous plants, with some of the most notable being Aquilegia taygetea (a type of columbine), Jurinea taygetea (a type of thistle), Astragalus taygeteus (a type of vetch) and Hypericum taygeteum (a type of St John’s wort).
The region also has a very rich birdlife (as demonstrated by its encompassing Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs)), with dozens of species recorded, thanks its mix of habitats. Some of the more interesting, conspicuous, or ecologically important birds you can see on Taygetos include the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), the short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus), the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), which is especially widespread, kestrels, hobbies, various types of owls, corvids, such as ravens, jackdaws, crows and magpies, and smaller passerines such as tits, warblers and flycatchers.
Various mammal species have also been reported; typical mammals of the area include red foxes, jackals, and other Mediterranean mountain mammals; wild boar and small carnivores also occur. Moreover, the variety of microhabitats (sunny rocky slopes, shady streams) supports numerous reptiles and amphibians.
History
The slopes of Taygetus have been inhabited since at least Mycenean times. Its history is closely linked with that of the ancient city-state of Sparta, which lay at the mountain’s eastern base in Laconia. Its sharp relief and rugged terrain made it a natural stronghold and, in those times, it played an important part as one of the city’s natural defenses. The mountain was also used as a site for endurance and survival training for Spartan youth, as part of the agoge training program (a prerequisite for citizen status).
There is also a very steep ravine, the infamous Ceadas (or Caeadas), located a few kilometers from Sparta, where ancient Spartans would throw criminals, people condemned for treason, and prisoners of war. Archaeological research has in fact recovered multiple human remains from it bottom, along with arrowheads and spearheads, confirming that this was in fact used as a place of execution.
Later, during the Byzantine and Frankish periods, Taygetus served as a refuge for local populations against foreign invasions. Many of the villages in its slopes date from this period, as does the citadel of Mystras, originally built by Frankish crusaders on the east side of the mountain, and later captured by the Byzantine Empire.
From the mid-13th century, Mystras served as the seat of the governor of the Byzantine territories in the Morea, while in 1348 it became the capital of the Despotate of Morea, an important center for the arts and letters, attracting eminent scholars and architects of the time. The citadel retained a significant role under Ottoman and Venetian rule; following Greece’s independence, however, the majority of its population resettled to the modern city of Sparta and Mystras was eventually abandoned.
Mystras and villages
Arguably the most impressive site on Taygetos is the medieval ghost town of Mystras, the ruins of which remain an impressive and imposing landmark. Recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989, Mystras is celebrated for being a perfectly preserved Byzantine urban complex. Visitors can admire the churches and monasteries from the Byzantine times, including the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Demetrius, dating back to the 15th century, and the historic monasteries of Peribleptos, Pantanassa and Brontochion. Apart from their impressive architecture, the churches preserve masterpieces of Byzantine painting.
However, apart from the famous Mystras, the mountains are also dotted with historic stone villages, many of which preserve their medieval or Ottoman-era character. Some of the most interesting ones are:
Longanikos (or Loganikos), built at an altitude of 770 meters in the northern part of the Evrotas valley; it is believed that this area has been inhabited since Neolithic times. The area is home to important monuments dating from the Late Bronze Age to Late Antiquity, and especially from Byzantine times. The Byzantine monastery of Agios Georgios and the church of Ascension are among the most interesting ones.
Parori, also not far from the city of Sparta, is full of picturesque old houses, fountains, and churches. It is close to the impressive gorge of Lagada and the cave church of Panagia Langadiotissa, built into the cliffs.
Arna, on the eastern slopes of Taygetos, is located at an altitude of 700 meters, surrounded by lush forests of apple, chestnut and walnut trees. It is a small village with quaint stone houses, famously crossed by the E4 European long-distance path which leads to the forest of Vasiliki, with tall fir tree ringed cliffs, and the small chapel of Agios Dimitrios at an altitude of 1490 m.
Kastania (or Kastanitsa), on the southeastern slopes, is one of the older settlements in Mani, gained importance as a naturally fortified zone. The area also boasts many Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches, some with preserved frescoes and hagiographic art. It also played an important part in the history of klephts, (anti-Ottoman insurgent who would eventually lead the Greek struggle for Independence), who used the area as their base to launch raids against the Ottoman forces.
Polyaravos, on the western slope, is officially recognized as a traditional village by presidential decree. It also played an important part during the Greek War of Independence. Now it is mostly deserted but its old stone houses retain their charm, as does the Church of Agios Konstantinos. The site also offers dramatic views of the surrounding peaks, valleys.
Read also via Greek News Agenda: The medieval ghost town of Mystras; Greek mountains – a place for year-round tourism; Olympus: The mountain of the gods
N.M. (Into image: View of Taygetos by Deyan Vasilev (Dido3) via Wikimedia Commons)
TAGS: GREEK MOUNTAINS | NATURE | TOURISM
