Hymettus, also
Hymettos (
Greek ?µ?tt??, phonetic spelling
Imitós) is a mountain range in the Athens area, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as
Trellos or
Trellovouno (crazy mountain), probably coming from French colonials in the 15th or 16th century, calling the mountain Tres Long. The height is 1,026 m at
Evzonas and the length is 16&_160;km (9.9&_160;mi) between
Athens and the
Saronic Gulf and 6 to 7&_160;km from east to west. In the ancient times, the highest point was known as Mega Ymittos and the southern Elattona (???tt??a) and Anydro Ymitto (???d?? ?µ?tt?) (today Mavrovouni (?a???ß???? meaning black mountain) and Kontra (???t?a)). 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,
Helioupolis,
Argyroupoli,
Elliniko,
Glyfada,
Voula and
Vouliagmeni in the west,
Varkiza,
Vári,
Markopoulo and
Paeania to its east, and
Papagou,
Holargos,
Aghia 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.
Major campuses of the Athens University and the National Technical University (collectively called "University Town") are located on the west-facing slope, between the newly-built "Hymettus Ring", a ring road connected with the Attiki Odos freeway with five interchanges beginning with Y and filled with tunnels, and the Athens urban sprawl. A transmitter park for all major TV and radio stations is located at the top of the mountain. Built up urban areas almost surround the entire mountain range. Access to the top of the mountain is restricted to authorized vehicles for maintenance of the towers.
Almost all of Athens, its eastern suburbs and the new airport can be seen from the mountain top along with the mountains of Parnitha to its northwest, Penteli to its north and Aegaleo to its west. The valley areas that create the lowest passes are to the south and one further south.
The mountain ranges features about six to seven landfills in the western part and another in the eastern part.
