Olive Tree of Vouves - Ancient Olive Tree - Crete
The Olive tree of Vouves is an a gorgeous tree I had the pleasure of visiting when in Crete. It's located in the village of Ano Vouves in the Chania region. It is one of the oldest olive trees in the world, and it still bears fruit. The true age of the tree can't be determined but tree ring analysis ages it to at least 2,000 years old, however locals claim it's between 4,000 - 5,000 years. Either way it's a gorgeous and worth the trip if you're interested in going out and exploring rural Crete. The tree has a girth of about 41 feet and a diameter of 15 feet.Besides the tree there's a museum in a quaint 19th century edifice, you can visit that houses traditional olive making tools, the courtyard the tree is housed in is surrounded by other olive making tools or presses and random stuff.
The most impressive is the tree itself. Crete has been inhabited since forever, and olives have been a staple food product for ages. Having the opportunity to sit for a few moments with a living piece of antiquity is something to behold.
The peaceful surroundings and landscape is an ideal place to sit and ponder the history this tree has "seen".
