Olympus, Mount: see Cyprus; Olympic Mts.; Olympus.

Olympus, Gr. Ólimbos, mountain range, c.25 mi (40 km) long, N Greece, on the border of Thessaly and Macedonia, near the Aegean coast. It rises to c.9,570 ft (2,920 m) at Mt. Olympus, the highest point in Greece. The peak was first ascended in 1913. In Greek mythology the summit, shut from the sight of men on earth by clouds, was the home of the Olympian gods. Later the name Olympus was given to the remote heavenly palace of the gods.

Mount Olympus: see Cyprus; Olympic Mountains; Olympus.

Mountain peak, northeastern Greece. At 9,570 ft (2,917 m), it is the highest mountain in Greece. It is part of the Olympus range, lying on the border between Macedonia and Thessaly, near the Gulf of Salonika. The summit is snowcapped and often has cloud cover. In ancient Greece, it was regarded as the abode of the gods and the site of the throne of Zeus.

Learn more about Olympus, Mount with a free trial on Britannica.com.