Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Crete boasts approximately 20 olive trees with an age of over 1,000 years, but the olive tree of Vouves, a village 30 kilometres west of the city of Chania, is estimated to be over 3,000- years old and thus the oldest of its kind in the whole world.
The impressive tree has a diametre of 4.67 m. and a perimetre of 12.5 m (also the largest in the world), with an equally impressive trunk.
The students of Crete’s Technological University used cutting-edge technology to create a complete, animated 3D model of the tree and its sculpture-like trunk attracting thus more than 20,000 people that visit the age old tree.
The nearby Olive Tree Museum of Vouves, also part of the tour, aims to preserve and promote the age-old relationship of olive tree and man. Many of them make their appointment with this natural wonder in late October for the harvest as the tree still produces the sought after olives.
The olive tree of Vouves has been declared a "natural heritage monument" since 1997, while wreaths made of its branches were given to the winners of the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 marathons.
The students of Crete’s Technological University used cutting-edge technology to create a complete, animated 3D model of the tree and its sculpture-like trunk attracting thus more than 20,000 people that visit the age old tree.
The nearby Olive Tree Museum of Vouves, also part of the tour, aims to preserve and promote the age-old relationship of olive tree and man. Many of them make their appointment with this natural wonder in late October for the harvest as the tree still produces the sought after olives.
