By Linda Tancs
The olive tree was sacred in ancient Greece. According to legend, Athena became the patron deity of the city of Athens after winning a contest against Poseidon by gifting the citizens the first olive tree. The ancient olive tree of Vouves is a living legend in western Crete. A natural monument, its age is estimated anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 years. The gnarled trunk measures a diameter of 12 feet and a circumference of 26 feet. At its base, it boasts a diameter of nearly 15 feet and a circumference stretching to 41 feet. Still producing olives, a branch from this tree was even used to crown the winner of the men’s marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. You can learn more about the tree at the Olive Tree Museum nearby.
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