Monuments – Hellenic Republic

The 10th Edition of the BSEC Month of Culture has just been launched!

We embark on our month-long cultural journey, dedicating the first post to the Hellenic Republic, host country of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office for the second semester 2026.

Let’s start with the wider area of Mount Olympus, which has just been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List of mixed* sites (2026).

Situated in northern Greece, Mount Olympus is the country's highest mountain!

Natural Heritage

The area’s microclimate, resulting from its proximity to the sea and abrupt elevation, produces a remarkable diversity in terrain, climate, and vegetation. The serial property features striking landforms, including glacial cirques, limestone cliffs, karstic sinkholes, and olistolith fields, while sharp ridges like the Mytikas-Stefani complex and deep gorges such as the Enipeas illustrate ongoing neotectonic activity. Mount Olympus has served as a glacial refugium for forest species and is also a Mediterranean plant biodiversity and endemism hotspot.

Cultural Heritage and Greek Mythology

In this landscape, the ancient Greeks situated the abode of their Twelve Olympian Gods, with Zeus as their sovereign, as well as the Muses and Graces. Through the writings of Hesiod and Homer, Mount Olympus became a central point of reference for Greek mythology throughout the Greek and Roman worlds, rendering Mount Olympus an enduring emblem of Greek civilisation.

Sources & photographs taken from: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1719

Photograph No 1: Litochoro and snowy peaks of the mountain. © Protected Area Management Units│ Vasileios Triantafyllou

Photograph No 2: Panagia Korifini - Muses Plateau. © Protected Area Management Units│ Vasileios Triantafyllou

*Both cultural and natural heritage.

#ICBSS #MoC2026 #CultureBSEC #Greece #Monuments