Tempe valley - Tempe-Tal

The Tempe Valley is a breakthrough valley in Thessalythat flows from the Pineios River between Larisa and Stomio through the mountain range between Olympus and Ossa massif was eaten up and Thessaly and Macedonia connects.

background

The Tempe valley (Greek Τέμπη or Tembi valley) is an 8 km long breakthrough valley in which the Pineios river from Larisa flows towards the Thermean Gulf. At its narrowest point it is only 40 m wide, which rises to the south Ossa massif, to the north the foothills of the Olympus.

The Tempe Valley is important as a bottleneck for traffic, as the express train line leads Thessaloniki - Athens and the national road EO1 through the valley. The situation on the latter has calmed down since the new motorway was completed and traffic is led through the valley in two long tunnels.

The valley was the scene of events in the Greek legend that it was created by Poseidon with his trident: After Apollon in Delphi had killed the dragon Python, he washed himself clean of his guilt at the eastern end of the Temple Valley. Thereupon he fell in love with the nymph Daphne, who was turned into a laurel bush. Apollo broke off a branch from this bush and brought it back Delphi back to where he planted it. To commemorate these events, a procession was made every eight years from Delphi to the Tempe Valley. A youth brought laurel branches back to Delphi that had been cut here.

Eurydice, who Orpheus later wanted to bring back from Hades, died of a snake bite in this valley.

Different battles are historically better guaranteed. Around 480 BC. tried here the Athenians and Spartans to control the troops of Xerxes, but had to withdraw. In 169 BC. the Romans fought against the defenders of the last Macedonian king Perseus of Macedonia. But they could only be stopped temporarily and later defeated the Macedonians in the Battle of Pydna definitely.

On April 18, 1941, the troops of 6th Div. under F. Schörner and units of the New Zealand and Australian ANZAC troops on the side of the Allies, whose task it was to prevent the withdrawal of the Allied troops Larisa to cover and to delay the advance of the German Wehrmacht - the Tempe valley could be held for a day, which gave the Allies the necessary time.

getting there

By plane

The nearest international airport is that of Thessaloniki in approx. 90 min. driving distance.

By train

The main line of the Greek railway between Thessaloniki and Athens runs through the Tempe valley. After the renovation, the route will largely run in tunnels. The nearest train stop is that of 39.899222.6141 Rapsani at the northeast end of the valley.

By bus

Bus connections to the villages are from Larisa made sure.

In the street

The new highway Thessaloniki - Athens is mostly led through the Tempe valley in two tunnels on the south side. The next exits are those of 39.829122.51212 EuanggelismosType is group designation in the south and 39.979222.62653 PlatamonasType is group designation in the North.

The old "Ethniki Odos", the country road, runs through the Tempe valley itself EO1, which is also subject to a toll and previously served as a motorway intermediate section. There are several parking spaces here from which you can get to the Pineios River and Agio Paraskevi Church.

mobility

The easiest way to visit the Tempe Valley is by private vehicle. The hiking trail is hardly passable anymore because it is overgrown.

Tourist Attractions

• You can go to the Pineios reach. The river is deep here and the water is mostly green-blue. In the past, river cruises on the Pineios were offered from Agia Paraskevi in ​​summer. However, it is unclear whether the boat is still running.
• 39.8794122.58521 Agia ParaskeviType is group designation: From a parking lot, connected to the opposite lane by a pedestrian underpass, a paved footpath leads down to Pineios. Here you will find a number of stalls with a "flashy, colorful" range of devotional objects, icons, holy water bottles and candles. A modern suspension bridge crosses the Pineios and one arrives at the modern concrete arches of the entrance to the pilgrimage church of Agia Paraskevi. The church in honor of St. Paraskeva was built in 1910. Saint Paraskeva is the patron saint of the blind and is also venerated by Sinti and Roma. many Sinti and Roma attend church. A few meters further east on the right is the entrance to a tunnel, which is designed similar to the church entrance, which you can only crawl through when bent over to get to a marble basin inside. From this the water of a spring flows, which is said to have healing powers and which is bottled by Greek pilgrims.
• Steps down the river lead to another spring. Behind it is a modern excursion restaurant with an offer of local specialties, sweets and souvenirs, objects made of olive wood. There are toilets behind it.
• From the forecourt of the church a staircase leads up to the 39.8782522.583121 trailType is group designation, which runs on the left bank of the Pineios along the route and through the tunnels of the former railway line upstream. Certainly very picturesque, the path is unfortunately poorly maintained and currently (2019) practically overgrown and so hardly passable (you would have to carry a machete with you to cut the path free ...)

• 39.86922.54742 Chani tis KokkonasType is group designation: The archaeological site is on the south side of the EO1 and is only accessible when you are out Larisa starts, otherwise you have to turn at the next exit. The archaeological site can be viewed and accessed from a parking lot via a fence if a guard is on site, otherwise the key can be obtained in the prefecture in Larisa be concerned. The ruins of a Greco-Hellenistic sanctuary and a Byzantine basilica were excavated here as part of the construction work on the Tempe Valley section of Autobahn 1.

From the Greek-Hellenistic sanctuary there was one in the 4th / 3rd Century v. A small temple built in the 4th century BC, in which, as it was assumed based on finds, the mother of the gods Cybele and Artemis was worshiped. The natural sanctuary was probably abandoned during the Roman-Macedonian wars. In the area there were ruins of workshops from the Hellenistic period with a kiln and various graves.

From Byzantine times, from 10/11. Century, found the foundation walls of a basilica with three apses and a little to the west of it a two-storey building on the then through road, which was probably used as a hostel. In the area there were carefully laid out graves from the Byzantine period. The building was probably built during the incursions of the Normans and then the Crusaders at the end of the 11th century. destroyed. A gold coin from the Latin Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem was found in a grave.

• 39.8603222.53123 Tekes Hasan BeyType is group designation or Hasan Baba: the square building with a dome over a tomb was venerated by Muslim pilgrims in Ottoman times and is now scaffolded to protect it from final decay.

activities

• Greek Orthodox pilgrims like to visit the Church of Agia Paraskevi.
• The trail, which leads up a staircase in the church porch and leads up the river on the former railway line through several tunnels on the left bank, is labeled (red metal sign with yellow hiker), but largely overgrown with thorny undergrowth and in parts hardly passable (2019) .
• Several partially developed footpaths lead to the springs on the banks of the Pineios and offer shady resting places in summer.
• It is unclear whether the excursions on the Pineios will still be carried out in the summer months.
• Visit to the archaeological site of Chani tis Kokkonas

shop

• At Agia Paraskevi, souvenirs and devotional objects are offered on the access path and also at the dining restaurant

kitchen

• 39.8802722.585831 Tempi Estiatorio, Excursion restaurant with a wide range of dishes from the grill, sweets from our own pastry shop.

nightlife

accommodation

There are no accommodations in the Tempe Valley.

health

Practical advice

trips

literature

Web links

• www.gotempi.gr, Tempi Official Tourism Website