Olympus, or Chionistra, ( el, Όλυμπος ''or'' Χιονίστρα; tr, Olimpos Tepesi) at , is the highest point in
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
.
It is located in the
Troodos Mountains
Troodos (sometimes spelled Troödos; el, Τρόοδος ; tr, Trodos Dağları) is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in roughly the center of the island. Its highest peak is Mount Olympus ( el, Όλυμπος), also known as Chion ...
of Cyprus. Mount Olympus peak and the "Troodos Square" fall under the territory of
Platres
Platres ( el, Πλάτρες) or Pano Platres ( el, Πάνω Πλάτρες; tr, Yukarı Platres; English: ''Upper Platres''), is a Μountainous village in Cyprus. It is located on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains and is one of the win ...
in
Limassol District
Limassol District () or Lemesos ( el, Λεμεσός) is one of the six districts of Cyprus. , it had a population of 239,842, 77% of which was urban. Its main city is Limassol. Part of the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia for ...
. A British long range
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
currently operates at Mount Olympus' peak. It has a highland
warm-summer mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
.
The Mount Olympus Ski resort consists of the Sun Valley and North Face areas. Each area has its own ski lifts and runs, operated by the Cyprus Ski Club:
* Aphrodite or Sun Valley I, with a 125m T-bar ski lift and beginner-level slopes
* Hermes or Sun Valley II, with a 140m T-bar ski lift and intermediate-level slopes
* Dias/Zeus or North Face I, with a 380m chairlift and advanced-level slopes
* Hera or North Face II, with a 262m T-bar ski lift and beginner-level slopes
In the Sun Valley area there is a 55m rope tow baby lift as well.
Writing in the late first century BC or first century AD, the
geographer
A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interacts. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" a ...
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
reported that on one of its promontories was a temple to
Aphrodite
Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
Acraea ( grc, Ἀφροδίτης Ἀκραίας) which means Aphrodite of the Heights, which women were forbidden to enter.
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...
. ''Geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
''
XIV.6.3.
/ref>
See also
* List of elevation extremes by country
The following sortable table lists land surface elevation extremes by country or dependent territory.
Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential grav ...
References
External links
Troodos Tourism Board
Cyprus Ski Federation & Club
Webcam on the North side of Mount Olympus
Ski areas and resorts in Cyprus
Olympus
One-thousanders of Cyprus
Temples of Aphrodite
Troodos Mountains
Highest points of countries
{{Cyprus-geo-stub