Schinias Marathon National Park. Once the Great Marsh of Marathon

Text & images: Babis Pavlopoulos – iconstravel photography

(all the images come from the Schinias Marathon National Park)

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), the lord of the wetland during the winter months

The Attica prefecture belongs to these places in Greece in which nature has been extremely pressed by man, mainly due to the existence of the capital Athens. Nevertheless, nature has decided to resist, trying sometimes to surprise us.

Schinias National Park is a natural complex which consists of a coastal lagoon (3.5 Χ 25 klm) and a coastal forest (3.5 klm X 150-200 m), located close to Athens at the northeast part of the prefecture. It is one of the last wild life refuges remaining in the area, with a great ornithological interest. It is classed as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the umbrella of Natura 2000. Throughout the whole natural park 245 species of birds have been observed and 320 species of plants have been recorded.

Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus), a rare presence in the marsh

The natural environment has gone through five evolutionary stages. It was originally formed as a shallow sea gulf, approximately 5.000 years ago, isolated by a sandy barrier to become a lagoon. Then the lagoon received partial inflows of water and sediment, either from the sea (saline water), or from the land (fresh water) that changed its environmental conditions.

Although, the marsh was severely harmed by older efforts to be drained and also by the construction of the Rowing centre for the Olympic Games of 2004, it still remains an important wetland, not only for the area close to Athens. Actually, it is all that remains of the Great Marsh of Marathon, as it was known in the antiquity. In this place a big number of Persian soldiers were drowned after the historical battle of Marathon between Athenians and Persians, in 490 B.C. In the past, people tried to drain it, digging a large central channel by which the water would run to the sea. However, the march continues to be seasonally recreated to large part, thanks to the winter rains and to the water of the Makaria spring, while in the summer, it almost dries. The Makaria spring water was also used for the working of the Rowing centre.

Views of the coastal wetland, classed as Special Protection Area (SPA) under the umbrella of Natura 2000 
The mixed ecosystem constists of the stone-pine forest, the lagoon, the beach, 
the gulf and the peninsula at the east

…flying to moon

The flora of the lagoon consists of Tamarisks as trees or bushes, reed-beds and other aquatic plants. Perhaps the marsh orchids are the most important of them.

The wetland is located below one of the bird migration routes, so its reed-beds are served as a shelter for a large number of aquatic and sea birds, but also for other species. The bird watchers can find, amongst others, the following species: Coot (Fulica atra), Moorhen(Gallinula chloropus), Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) , Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the rare Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), the endangered Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinelus), Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), Redshank (Tringa tetanus), Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Water Pipit (Anthus spinoleta), several species of Gulls, Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), several species of Swallows, Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Yellow Wagtail (Motallica flava), Pied Wagtail (Motallica alba), Robin (Erithacus rubecula), Stonechat (Saxicola rubetra), Northern Wheater (Denanthe oenanthe), Blackbird (Tundus merula), Blackcup (Sylvia attricapilla), Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), Magpie (Pica pica), Sparrows etc. 

Birds of prey can also be found in the Park like Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), Eurasian Hobby (Falco Subbuteo), Short-toed Snake-eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) etc. 

Three species of mud turtles, frogs, snakes and grass snakes also live in the marsh. It is worth noting that close to Makaria spring an endemic fish lives, named Daska (Pelasgus marathonicus), which first recorded in 1921, and it is classed as endangered. The family of mammals is mainly represented by Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) and Beech Marten (Mertes foina), as well as other smaller species and bats.

Yellow Wagtail (Motallica flava)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) during the mating season 

when the feathers on the back of the head are long

Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), an impressive bird of prey with wide fingered wings

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in a vertical attack

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

Between the marsh and the sea the coastal forest is located, which mainly consists of common pines and stone-pines (Pinus pinea). It is considered as a very important forest as it is one of the few such forests that survive in Greece. The neighbouring peninsula of Kynosoura, the sandy coast and the bottom of the gulf complete the whole ecosystem, creating the Schinias Marathon National Park. At the bottom of the gulf a sea plant with elongated, planar, green leaves which measure up to 1.5 m, named  Neptune-grass or Posidonia (Posidonia oceanica) can be found. 

The most appropriate period to visit the wetland is the period between December to June, when the area is wet, and holds large amounts of water. The area can be visited walking on the special paths or standing to the observatories. In any case, we have to be quiet, thinking that we are the guests to a home owned by other living creatures. Creatures that love their privacy very much.

Unfortunately the ecosystem does not survive under the best conditions, facing many problems, like pollution, incomplete surveillance, uncontrolled building and illegal hunting.

So, instead of it becoming an attraction for the surrounding area and an environmental education center, something extremely necessary for Attica, where the wildlife just whispers, the balance of the ecosystem is in increasing danger.  

Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinelus), the species is classed as endangered. 
They use the wetland for a few days as a resting place during the migration

Ferruginous Ducks (Aythya nyroca), also endangered species

Coots (Fulica atra)

Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus) in several views
They glide showing V shaped wings hunting over the reed-beds

A male Marsh Harrier rising from the reed-bed with a smaller bird in its claws

Black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus)

Views of the wetland, different season, different colours

Juvenile Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

A Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) preparing its long wings

Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) searching to feed in the mud

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), a small elegant bird

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) within a reed-bed, usually discreet

Stonechat (Saxicola rubetra)

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoleta), a very small bird

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) with a small fruit in its beak

“…find me, I am hidden…, search within the reeds”

Cobweb, the insects have their own kingdom in the wetland

Several species of Dragonflies (Anisoptera)

Grass snake

Mud turtle

Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata)

March orchids

Flock of Shovelers (Anas clypeata) over the lagoon

The Zygos monastery in Holy Mountain (Agion Oros) Greece. The only Athonian monastery that can be visited by women

Text & images: Babis Pavlopoulos - iconstravel photography

Zygos monastery, part of the defensive enclosure with a flanking tower. In the background, part of the fortification around the keep.

Which is the only monastery in Holy Mountain (Mount Athos) Greece that women can also visit? Even though in this semi-autonomous religious region of Greece the institution of “avaton” allows only males to enter, there is a monastery that has remained out of this rule. This is the Zygos monastery.

Mount Athos is a peninsula located in North Greece, Makedonia, in Chalkidiki prefecture. This is a religious area where the monasticism flourished since the Byzantine period, giving us a unique big scale architecture, the Athos-type monasteries.

In this peninsula the fortification meets the traditional Balkan and Byzantine architecture and both of them the Christian religion. All the monasteries are presented as extended building fortified complexes like medieval castles, dated in the period 10^th Century to 16^th Century. They consist of residential wings, walls, wall-towers, churches and chapels, dominated by a keep (donjon), and arranged around an inner yard, where one can find the main church standing in the middle of the enclosure, as the center of anything happens to the society of the monks.

Docheiariou monastery, end of the 11^th Century. It is a substantial example of the Athonian architecture, a real medieval castle with walls, flanking towers and a keep. The red domes belong to the main church of the complex.

Today, the surviving monasteries in Mount Athos are 20, creating a semi-autonomous polity within the Greek Republic, simultaneously there are some other smaller constructions belonging to the monasteries. At the same time one can find complexes or buildings that have fallen into serious decay. The entrance to this polity is controlled and the visitors must have a special license in order to enter.

Zygos monastery, what remains from the gate of the building complex.

However, there is a monastery in the same peninsula which is not included in the Athos polity, today. It is the Zygos monastery, located at the border of the polity. The monastery is an archaeological site as it is ruined, but is very interesting, presenting the original form of the Athonian monasteries. According to the surviving elements and what is known to us from the great and long tradition of the area, the ruins have been carefully and securely strengthened and in some cases restored, 

The first mention of the monastery is dated in 942, but it was erected in 991. During the 11^th Century it was one of the most important monasteries in Mount Athos, but in 1199 the building complex had already been abandoned. At the start of the Frankish rule period in the Greek area, a Frank lord settled in the complex, using it as a shelter in order to plunder the surrounding area. Even though in 1211 he left the site after the intervention of the Pope, the building complex remained known as “Frank-castle”.

Zygos monastery, the main church under restoration works.

Zygos monastery, main church, detail.

Zygos monastery, main church. Attempt of the iconostasis reconstruction and part of the original nave floor.

Zygos monastery, mosaic.

The complex was enclosed by a perimeter wall with eleven flanking towers, some of them partially preserved. At the north side of the enclosure, and at the higher point, the keep (donjon) was standing as a completely projected structure. A walled passage started from the keep, leading to a barbican; a fortified outwork. What remains of the main church of the monastery is placed at the east part of the enclosure, which is the oldest part of the complex. The church is dated in the first half of the 11^th Century and was originally built in cross in square four column type. Architects and archaeologists have discerned four construction phases at today's partially restored monument. Remains from the cells and assistant buildings are also preserved.

Zygos monastery, the collapsed defensive enclosure.

Zygos monastery, the walled passage leading to the barbican. The keep was standing at the right start of this structure.

    

The archaeological site is particularly caring, allowing the visitor to have a precise image of the form of this important monument and of course it can also be visited by women.