Mount Kedros ( el, Όρος Κέντρος, also Κέδρος), is a
mountain on the island of
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cypru ...
in
Greece. It is located southwest of the
Ida massif with which it forms the two flanks of the
Amari Valley. Mount Kedros is conical-shaped and made of limestone. Its landscape abounds with canyons and rock cliffs and is almost barren, with dry scrubs and
phrygana being the major forms of vegetation. Kedros grows endemic or rare flowers such as
tulips,
anemone
''Anemone'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Plants of the genus are commonly called windflowers. They are native to the temperate and subtropical regions of all continents except Australia, New Zealand a ...
s,
corn marigolds, turban
buttercups
''Ranunculus'' is a large genus of about almost 1700 to more than 1800 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus are known as buttercups, spearworts and water crowfoots.
The genus is distributed in Europe, ...
, tassel
hyacinths,
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
s, etc., and provides ideal conditions for the nesting of
falcons as well as larger
birds of prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators h ...
such as
griffon vulture
The Eurasian griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. It may also be known as the Griffon vulture, though it may be used for the genus as a whole. It is not to be confused with Rü ...
s,
golden eagle
The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds ...
s and
Bonelli's eagles.
Owing to the significance of its flora and fauna, Mount Kedros is a node of the
Natura 2000 network of protected areas. An
E4 mountain footpath climbs up to the highest peak of the site. To the north of Kedros are located the plateau
Gious Kampos
Gious Kampos ( el, Γιούς Κάμπος), is a plateau in the Amari Valley on the island of Crete in Greece. Its name comes from the phrase "τση Γιούς ο Κάμπος", which means ''the plain of Eos'' (Ηώς in Greek) in the Cretan ...
and the Kissano gorge.
A belt of villages collectively known as the ''Kedros villages'' are built on its slopes at altitudes ranging between 400 and 600 m.
During
WW II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, their dwellers supported the local
resistance fighters who used Mt. Kedros as their hideout.
In reprisal, the German occupation forces destroyed the Kedros villages and murdered several of their inhabitants.
See also
*
Holocaust of Kedros
The Holocaust of Kedros ( el, Ολοκαύτωμα του Κέντρους/Κέδρους), also known as the Holocaust of Amari ( el, Ολοκαύτωμα του Αμαρίου), was the mass murder of the civilian residents of nine villages lo ...
References
External links
Greek mountain FloraMt. Kedros photosE4 in Rethymno
Mountains of Greece
Mountains of Crete
Landforms of Rethymno (regional unit)
{{Crete-geo-stub