Lapithas ( el, Λαπίθας) is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

located in southern

Elis Elis or Ilia ( el, Ηλεία, ''Ileia'') is a historic region in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is administered as a regional unit of the modern region of Western Greece. Its capital is Pyrgos. Until 2011 it was ...

in the western

Peloponnese The Peloponnese (), Peloponnesus (; el, Πελοπόννησος, Pelopónnēsos,(), or Morea is a peninsula and geographic region in southern Greece. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridge whi ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

. The mountain is named after the mythical people, the

Lapiths The Lapiths (; grc, Λαπίθαι) are a group of legendary people in Greek mythology, whose home was in Thessaly, in the valley of the Peneus and on the mountain Pelion. Mythology Origin The Lapiths were an Aeolian tribe who, like the Myrm ...

. In the west the mountain touches the

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including ...

. It is 15 to 20 km long and 10 km wide and covers and area of 100 to 150 km². A large part of the mountain is covered with pine forests, but has suffered great damage in the forest fires of August 2007. The Kaiafas Lake lies between the Lapithas and the Ionian Sea, northwest of the town

Zacharo Zacharo ( el, Ζαχάρω) is a town and municipality in western Peloponnese, Greece. Administratively, it belongs to the regional unit of Elis in West Greece. Zacharo is situated on the coast of the Gulf of Kyparissia, a part of the Ionian Sea. ...

. The

Greek National Road 76 National Road 76 ( el, Εθνική Οδός 76, abbreviated as EO76) is a single carriageway road in southern Greece. It connects the Greek National Road 9 near Krestena with Megalopoli, via Andritsaina and Karytaina. It runs through the west ...

(Megalopoli - Andritsaina - Krestena) passes northeast of the Lapithas, and the

Greek National Road 9 Greek National Road 9 ( el, Εθνική Οδός 9, abbreviated as EO9) is a single carriageway with at-grade intersections in the West Greece and Peloponnese regions. It runs along the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, from Patras to Me ...

/ E55 (Patras - Pyrgos - Kalamata) lies to the west.

Nearest places

Smerna, Vrina and

Xirochori Xirochori ( el, Ξηροχώρι, before 1926: Γιόρδινον - ''Giordinon'', ) is a community and a village in the municipal unit of Agios Athanasios in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. The community is 25 km north-northwest o ...

are villages on the mountain. * North:

Krestena Krestena ( el, Κρέστενα) is a town and a community in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andritsaina-Krestena, of which it is the seat of administration. Krestena is situated in ...

Gryllos Gryllos ( el, Γρύλλος, before 1927: Μουνδράζα - ''Moundraza'') is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. Its population in 2011 was 208 for the village and 300 for the community, which includes ...

Graikas Graikas ( el, Γραίκας) is a mountain village in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. In 2011 its population was 307. It is situated on a hillside, 3 km southeast of Gryllos, 8 km southeast of Krestena and 9 km nor ...

* East: Platiana and

Makistos Macistus or Makistos (), or Macistum or Makiston (Μάκιστον), was a city of ancient Elis, in Greece. It is one of the six cities (along with Lepreum, Phrixae, Pyrgus, Epium, and Nudium) founded by the Minyans in the territory of the Paror ...

* South:

* West:

Kato Samiko Kato Samiko ( el, Κάτω Σαμικό, meaning "lower Samiko") is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Skillounta, Elis, Greece. It is situated 2 km from the Ionian Sea, 3 km southeast of Samiko, 6 km southwest of Kre ...

External links

{{commonscat-inline, Lapithas Mountain Landforms of Elis Lapithas