Taygetus

Taygetus or Taygetos (Greek: Ταΰγετος), also Taigetos is a mountain range of the Peloponnesus, Southern Greece, extending about 65 mi (100 km) north from the southern end of Cape Matapan in the Mani Peninsula. It rises to about 7,900 ft (2,410 m) at Mt. Hagios Ilias (Mt. St. Elias). The mountain is named after Taygete. In the Byzantine times and up until the 19th century, the mountain was known as Pentedaktylos (Greek for five fingers). The mountain range includes the prefectures of Arcadia, Laconia and Messenia.

Related Topics:
Greek - Mountain range - Peloponnesus - Greece - Cape Matapan - Mani Peninsula - Mt. Hagios Ilias - Taygete - Byzantine - 19th century - Arcadia - Laconia - Messenia

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The valley of the Evrotas River lies to the east, while the Ionian Sea lies to the south and west along with the Gulf of Kalamata or the Messenian Gulf and Arcadia to the north.

Related Topics:
Evrotas River - Ionian Sea - Messenian Gulf - Arcadia

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Almost all of the Evrotas valley, the Parnon mountains and half of Laconia can be seen in the eastern part, the western part's panorama include Kalamata and the eastern half of Messenia and most of the southwestern part of Arcadia can also be seen.

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The central part of the mountain range is commonly called Skoteini Plevra which means the dark side because the villages that are in the Taygetus don't receive as much sunshine especially in the morning and the pre-dusk hours. Much of the area are forested and in higher areas, deforested with grasslands, meadows and flowers. The area receives sunshine only during the afternoon hours. The length is about 4 to 5 km and the width is approx. 1 km.

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