Ano Vouves monumental olive tree
The olive tree at Ano Vouves has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument because of its shape and the exceptional aesthetics of its relied truck, reminiscent of exceptional woodwork.
The tree is located at village Ano Vouves and belongs to Panagiotis Karapatakis. Its variety is called mastoid and is grafted on a rootstock of a wild olive tree. From this tree, the winner of the men’s’ marathon in the Olympic Games 2004 was crowned in Athens.
The trunk at a height of 0.9m from the ground has a diameter of 3.70m and a circumference of 8.10m, while its base has a diameter of 4.53m and a circumference of 12.55m. Locals claim that the olive is the oldest in the world, but this is not true as the olive tree at Azorias is older.
The area around the tree host the interesting Olive Museum of Vouves and accepts thousands of visitors from around the world.
