Mountain Parnitha is the highest point in the region surrounding Athens, Greece. It is covered with pine and fir trees and receives snow in the winter. The mountain has an area of outstanding natural beauty and is home to rare plants and animals, including 158 bird species, 39 mammal species, and 29 reptile and amphibian species. A devastating wildfire in 2007 damaged much of the forest, but restoration efforts have helped rebuild the burnt areas. Students visited the mountain to learn about its flora and fauna firsthand and created art, crafts, and writing projects about their experience.

1. “THE SEVEN WONDERS OF OUR
REGION”
5 DIMOTIKO SCHOLEIO NEAS SMYRNIS,
ATHENS,
HELLAS

2. WONDER 1: THE HIGHEST PLACE IN OUR REGION
MOUNTAIN PARNITHA
The 1st wonder of our region is Mountain Parnitha. It is a mountain of
Attica , north of Athens, with a total area of approximately 300 sq km.
​
It is covered by pine trees in the lower and fir trees in the higher
parts. Several days of winter it is covered by snow.

3. It is an area of outstanding natural
​
beauty and has joined the network
Natura 2000. Part of the mountain is
the National Park.
On top of it, is the Casino of Parnitha
( Mont Parnes ) , which can be
reached either by car or cable car.
The mountain has canyons, many
streams and caves.

4. The flora of the mountain includes
pines, fir trees, willows, poplars ,
etc. On the mountain there are
also many bushes and more than
1,000 plant species. Many of them
are rare and endemic , such as the
bluebell of Celsius, the red tulip ,
the red lily, etc.
Some of the rarest birds in the country, 158 bird species , 39 species
of mammals and also 29 species of reptiles and amphibians live on the
Mountain Parnitha. Parnitha is the only region of Greece where the
red deer (Cervus elaphus) are in good numbers and is the only natural
population. There is also a remarkable population of Cretan wild goat
(Capra aegagrus cretica).

5. The great fire in the
summer of 2007 hit
severely the National Park.
Since then many actions
have been implemented and
continue to be implemented,
which help to rebuild the
burnt fir forest and
ecosystem restoration .

6. Our pupils visited Mountain Parnitha, got information about the
fauna and flora of the mountain and took photos …

8. made paintings …
Red deer

11. bookmarks …

12. posters with
photos they
collected
from books
and
magazines…

13. wrote texts about their visit on the mountain …
On October 14, 2013, we visited Mountain Parnitha. We learnt a lot of
things about the food chain and how the animals in the forest
camouflage to protect themselves from their enemies. We also collected
stones and described their shapes and colours. Finally we made necklaces
with natural material we collected in the forest. We had a great time
and learnt a lot of things about the forest and its fauna and flora.

14. and made a myth of their own about how the mountain got its
the name …
Once upon a time, in Ancient Greece, a
young girl decided to go for a walk in the
forest. Her name was Parnitha and did
not believe in the 12 Gods. She arrived in
the forest where there were a lot of big,
high, green trees and sat under a plane
tree. Then the tree started singing and
after a while the tree spoke to her.
Parnitha couldn’t believe her ears. The
tree tried to persuade her to believe in
the 12 Gods.
- May I ask you a question my fair lady?
Do you believe in the 12 Gods?
- No! the girl answered.
-Why not? I believe in them! I have seen
them! Follow me!
-Where? Parnitha answered.

15. The little girl did not
really want to follow the
tree. She preferred to sit
in the forest all day to
enjoy nature, the trees,
the flowers, the animals
of the forest and above
all to breathe oxygen and
protect the environment.
Then the tree was
transformed into goddess
Diana, the goddess of
hunting. The goddess was
on a red deer. The girl
was amazed and told Diana
that after that she
believed in the 12 Gods.
Then Diana named the
forest after the girl;
PARNITHA!!!

16. and made a model of the mountain with clay.

18. Watch some videos about the mountain, the red
deer and the cave on Mountain Parnitha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq1zi0j2klU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T6rPn4Dwn4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da-YM8bp_yg