Monumental Olive Tree

The oldest olive tree in the world

Η Monumental Olive Tree is considered the oldest tree in the world and is 3.000-5.000 years old and is still fruitful! This olive tree has been declared by the Association of Olive Growing Municipalities of Crete (SEDIK) as "Monumental»Due to the peculiarity of the shape and the exceptional aesthetics of the relief of its trunk.

Η Monumental Olive Tree is located at Pano Vouves of D.D. Vouves of the Municipality of Kolymvari (coordinates N 35th 29,212 and EO 23rd 47,217 and altitude 272 m) and belongs to Παναγ. Karapataki who granted it to the Municipality of Kolymvari and is of the Mastoid variety that is locally called Tsounati vaccinated in a subject of Agrielia.

The trunk of the tree has an excellent relief with a special aesthetics. Its surface is real sculpture work presents different shapes that look like weird shapes of faces and things!

The tree has been declared as Monument of Nature while with a cut from this tree, which was cut with special ceremonies, the first winner of the Men's Marathon during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games was crowned.

The trunk of the tree at a height of 0,9 m from the ground has a maximum diameter of 3,70 m and a perimeter of 8,10 m while at the base of the tree it has a maximum diameter of 4,53 m and a perimeter of 12,55 m.

The tree is visited every year by thousands of visitors from all over the world, including many Ministers.

Olive oil of Crete

"How much oil do they eat, my God" Ancel Keys commented as he watched the green salad swim in the olive oil.

Olive oil is indeed the biggest secret of the Cretan diet and Cretan longevity.

At Crete produced of excellent quality olive oil, in fact 90% belongs to the category of the extra virgin. Important findings confirm that in Crete the olive has been cultivated since the Minoan era. Today there is a population of 35,5 million olive trees - mainly of the Koroneika variety -, which occupy 65% of the agricultural land, yield around 90.000 tons of olive oil and are cultivated by about 100.000 rural families.