Varasova () is a

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

mountain in the southern part of Aetolia-Acarnania in western

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. It was known as ''Chalcis'' () in antiquity, and there was an ancient Aetolian town at its foot named Chalcis, ''Hypochalcis'' or ''Chalceia'' (hence the name of the current administrative unit Chalkeia). It rises steeply from the coast of the Gulf of Patras to 917 m elevation. It is situated just east of the mouth of the river Evinos, 3 km east of Galatas, 14 km east of Missolonghi and 18 km northwest of Patras. 8 km to its east is the mountain Klokova. There are several rock climbing routes on the steep south and southwest faces of the Varasova. It is referred to as the Mount Athos of Rumelia or Western Greece, due to the large number of churches and monasteries (around 72) built in the Byzantine and the Ottoman period. Several still exist today, including the 9th-18th century cave monastery of Agios Nikolaos near Kryoneri, which is only accessible by boat. It is an important natural site, notable as the only place in the world where the plant '' Centaurea heldreichii'' grows. Local tradition tells us that the Titans endeavoured to throw this rock into the sea, so that it might form a bridge between the two coasts; but the rock proved too heavy, and was dropped where we see it today.

Gallery

File:Limnopoula.jpg, East side of Varasova, Kato Vasiliki File:Patras Varasova 2008.jpg, Varasova from Patras File:Kryoneri2243.jpg, Varasova from Kryoneri File:Kryoneri1754.jpg, Varasova, Kryoneri File:Calydon Aetolia 2010.JPG, Varasova from ancient Calydon File:MtVarasovaPatra.jpg, Mount Varasova very prominently viewed from Patras, Greece. File:Klokova&VarasovaTsoukaleika.jpg, Varasova (and Klokova) viewed from Tsoukaleika.

References

External links

Climbing routes at Varasova
{{Authority control Landforms of Aetolia-Acarnania Mountains of Greece Mountains of Western Greece Climbing areas of Greece