Mount Olympus added to UNESCO World Heritage List

The decision was adopted unanimously at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, making Olympus one of the few sites worldwide designated as a mixed World Heritage property for both its cultural and natural significance.

Revered in Greek mythology as the home of the 12 Olympian gods, Mount Olympus is also one of Europe’s richest biodiversity areas. The mountain is home to nearly 2,000 plant taxa, including dozens of species found nowhere else on Earth, as well as rare wildlife.

The inscription brings Greece’s total number of UNESCO World Heritage sites to 21, including three mixed properties. Greek officials welcomed the designation as a landmark international recognition that will strengthen conservation efforts and raise the global profile of one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.

Evangelos Geroliolios, mayor of Dion-Olympus, a municipality at the foot of the mountain, said in a recent interview with the AP that inclusion on the World Heritage List “places greater obligations on our part to protect this environment,” citing the potential impact of increased tourism.

“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Mount Olympus for the benefit of present and future generations,” said Georgios Koumoutsakos, Greece’s delegate to UNESCO. “As Greek mythology wisely reminds us, it is always best to remain on good terms with gods.”

Kathimerini