The idea of a geopark on Methana

The idea of the Geopark Methana & Saronischer Gulf

The lavadome Mokrisa on Methana. (c) Tobias Schorr
The lavadome Mokrisa on Methana. (c) Tobias Schorr

Since 1991, when I meet the team of geologists and cartographers of the Swiss university ETH-Zurich, I had the dream, that Methana could get a national heritage / national park. The exciting geology, the rich nature and the fascinating archaeological items would create am attractive destination in Greece that has to be protected. A sustainable development would be supported by this target and surely there would be also European economic support for this plan.

Why is the Saronic Gulf suitable as a geopark?

The Saronic Gulf region is the westernmost volcanic area of ​​the Aegean arch, on which all 4 active volcanoes in Greece are located. The greater region is ideally suited as a geopark due to its scenic beauty, historical significance, the volcanoes and the proximity to the capital Athens.

The geological highlights of the region:

- The ancient mining region of Laurion
- The Sousaki volcano area
- The Methana volcano peninsula
- The Aegina volcanic island
- The volcanic island of Poros