Aroania ( el, Αροάνια), also known as Helmos or Chelmos (Χελμός, from South Slavic , "summit"), is a mountain range in

Achaea Achaea () or Achaia (), sometimes transliterated from Greek as Akhaia (, ''Akhaïa'' ), is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Western Greece and is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The ...

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmu ...

, Greece. At 2,355 m elevation, Aroania is the third highest mountain of the Peloponnese, after Taygetus and Kyllini, and the highest in Achaea. The largest town near the mountain is Kalavryta. The municipal unit Aroania took its name from the mountain.

Geography

Aroania is situated in southeastern Achaea, near the border with Corinthia. The slightly higher Kyllini mountain is about 15 km to its east, separated from Aroania by the valley of the river Olvios. The mountain Erymanthos is about 30 km to the west, across the valley of the river Vouraikos. The rivers Krios, Krathis and Vouraikos drain the mountain towards the

Gulf of Corinth The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf ( el, Κορινθιακός Kόλπος, ''Korinthiakόs Kόlpos'', ) is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea, separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. It is bounded in the east by the Isth ...

in the north. The river Aroanios drains the mountain towards the southwest, to the

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including C ...

. The mountain is the site of the Aristarchos telescope and of a ski resort. Points of interest on the mountain include the Cave of the Lakes ( Spilaio ton Limnon), the monastery of Mega Spilaio and the mountain town Kalavryta. Mountain villages on the mountain are Planitero and

Peristera Peristera ( el, Περιστέρα, feminine form of pigeon), also Aspro, locally Xero (meaning dry), Eudemia in antiquity, is a Greek island in the Sporades. It is administratively part of the municipality of Alonnisos and is also directly east ...

. There are several protected areas on Aroania. A list of the highest peaks of Mount Aroania: *Psili Koryfi, 2355 m *Neraidorachi, 2341 m *Aetorachi, 2335 m *Kokkinovrachos, 2315 m *Gardii, 2182 m *Avgo, 2138 m *Nisi, 2080 m

Flora and fauna

The parts of Aroania between 800 m and 1,800 m elevation are covered with pine forests. The higher areas consist of grasslands and barren rock. Aroania is rich in butterfly species, including the Chelmos blue ('' Agrodiaetus iphigenia'') which is found between 1,100 m and 1,800 m.

References

External links

Greek Mountain FloraKalavryta Ski Resort Ski Resort Guide
*in Greek:
Photos from the Kalavryta Ski Centre

Χελμός - Βουραϊκός

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aroania Landforms of Achaea Mountain ranges of Greece Ski areas and resorts in Greece Landforms of Western Greece