Hymettus

Hymettus
Mount Hymettus from the east
Highest point
Elevation	1,026 m (3,366 ft)
Coordinates	37°57′47″N 23°49′00″E / 37.963°N 23.81667°E / 37.963; 23.81667
Geography
Location	East-central Attica about 15 km E of Athens
Parent range	Hymettus
Climbing
Easiest route	climb, road

Hymettus (/haɪˈmɛtəs/), also Hymettos (/haɪˈmɛtɒs/; Greek: Υμηττός, transliterated Ymīttós, pronounced [imiˈtos]), is a mountain range in the Athens area of Attica, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as Trellós (crazy) or Trellóvouno (crazy mountain); the latter originates from the French "très long" (very long) in awe of its winding length of 16km, as used by French travelers during the occupation of Greece by the Ottomans. In antiquity there was a sanctuary to Zeus Ombrios (Zeus the Rain God) on the summit with numerous offerings dating especially to the 8th-7th centuries BC; they are on the site of a military base and not currently accessible. There is also an ancient quarryman's hut on the western slopes of the mountain, one of two buildings in ancient Attica which preserves its roof.

The height is 1,026 m at Evzonas and the length is 16 km (9.9 mi) between Athens and the Saronic Gulf and 6 to 7 km from east to west. In the ancient times, the highest point was known as Mega Ymittos and the southern Elattona (Ελάττονα) and Anydro Ymitto (Άνυδρο Υμηττό) (today Mavrovouni (Μαυροβούνι meaning black mountain) and Kontra (Κόντρα)). It was noted for its thyme honey. Marble has been quarried since antiquity. The neighboring communities that surround the mountain are Athens, Zografou, Kaisariani, Vyronas, Ilissia (a region of Zografou), Ymittos, Ilioupoli, Argyroupoli, Elliniko, Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni in the west, Varkiza, Vari, Markopoulo and Paiania to its east, and Papagou, Cholargos, Agia Paraskevi, Gerakas and Glyka Nera. Most of the forest is in the north, and much of the mountain is rocky, deforested, grassy and made out of limestone.