We have all heard fantastic stories about the mythical heroes of Ancient Greece, who, like a thick fog, envelop the entire history of this place where civilization was born. Many of us were even so intrigued by the adventures of Hercules or suffering that it fell to the lot of the brave Theseus that we went straight into the study of the history of the ancient state. Before the eyes of everyone who even out of the corner of their ear heard about Greece, colorful pictures, which depict the numerous gods of Olympus, are forever frozen. Indeed, in the absence of imagination, the Greeks cannot be blamed.
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Where is
Greece is rich not only in its myths, culture and traditions. The picturesque places for which this cradle of civilization is famous deserve no less attention. Numerous islands, which have long belonged to Greece, have become not only world-famous resort areas, but still conceal a lot of mysterious and amazing things. We propose to go with us to the eastern part of the Greek island of Kefalonia, where before our eyes, like a piece of paradise, stretches the beauty of the Melissania cave and the lake of the same name, the smooth surface of which is hidden under a layer of rocks.
Underground kingdom
Even if you are a skeptic and have never believed that Greek myths are based on real events, at the first glance at the wondrous cave formation, you will undoubtedly get the impression that you are on the verge of something truly mysterious. The huge cave involuntarily makes you think that you are on the threshold of the doors to the underground kingdom of Hades, and the underground lake is nothing more than the Leta River, famous for many of the myths.
This unique natural place is located on the already mentioned island of Kefalonia, which is part of the Ionian Islands. If you wish, it is not at all difficult to find a cave with an underground lake, because thousands of tourists flock here who want to get even more in touch with a country rich in every sense.
Reality and myths about Melissani
According to experts in the field of geology, the unusual place was formed as a result of a long natural process, as a result of which the rocks gradually dissolved, and many depressions were formed in the place of the once ordinary mountain. The waters flowing down to the base of the cave form an incredibly beautiful lake, which, according to the most conservative estimates, is more than 20 thousand years old today.
It is in this place in the guide's story that the last doubts about the mystery of the cave disappear. Tourists with amazing greed literally "eat" with their eyes inch by inch of the sloping walls of the cave and peer into the turquoise surface of the lake with the hope of seeing something that others have not been able to.
If there is an entrance to the other world or a parallel reality on the planet, then there is no better place to place such a portal than Melissani's cave.
The ancient Greeks, who always looked for a "secret" meaning in everything, called the turquoise lake only "the abode of the nymphs." I think you shouldn't dwell on these unusually beautiful representatives of the weaker sex from Greek mythology. But the very fact that the lake was awarded this title speaks volumes.
How the lake was formed
But back to the history of the formation of the cave and lake. Initially, there was a full-fledged cave, the dome of which collapsed only 4 thousand years ago. And now the blue of the endless sky stretches over the heads of numerous tourists. The sun's rays, which have gained access to the base of the cave, not only warm the waters of the Melissani cave lake, but also give them a delicate turquoise hue.
A special impression is made by the crystal clearness of the water, in which you can see even the smallest details of the lake bottom. When you sail on a lake in a boat, you get the impression that it is floating in the air. The turquoise surface only occasionally betrays its presence when the oars touch its surface.
Divine origin
This place would not be Greek if there was no legend about it. The ancient Greeks believed that the cave represented some kind of divine principle. Here, far from prying eyes, in the very depths of the Melissani Cave, numerous rituals took place. The first who discovered the place for the future sanctuary of the ancient Greeks was a local shepherd named Giannis Petrochelios, who accidentally wandered into this region.
It was after his enthusiastic story that the cave was chosen as a place for religious ordinances. This is indicated by archaeological finds, among which a statuette of the Greek god Pan was discovered, which has long been considered the patron saint of nature and shepherds. Numerous statuettes of nymphs and an unusual drawing of a woman were also found here. All these finds and many other objects found in the cave can be seen in the museum of the city of Argostoli, which is the capital of the island.
According to local legend, the cave, along with the lake, was formed as a result of an unhappy love between a nymph named Melissani and the Greek god Pan. There are several interpretations of the story, but the essence is the same - love was unhappy, and the nymph suffered from Pan's amorous character. The cave became her refuge, where she shed tears for days. It was from Melissani's tears that the turquoise lake was formed. Indeed, the waters of an underground reservoir taste very similar to human tears. Everyone can be convinced of this by scooping up a little transparent liquid in the palm of their hand.
Hence the modern belief, according to which, if lovers, sailing on a boat on the lake, wash each other with water, then they will live a long and happy life. The lake will also help those who are unlucky in love. You just need to scoop up water and wash yourself. And soon the person will meet his destiny.
Uniqueness in every inch
If you do not take into account the stories that circulate about this place, and also not be interested in the origin of the cave and the lake, you can confidently notice that the attraction is unique. Even the geology of the cave is special. So, fresh and sea water mixes in the lake, which rises into the cave from a huge depth of 30 meters! In addition, the water, having made a huge loop along the lake, returns to the sea. If you believe the local guides, then every drop of sea water, before dissolving in the lake, travels about 13 km!
Approaching the lake, you will have to go down the stairs specially equipped for numerous tourists. On the banks of the Melissani you will be offered a boat ride on the turquoise surface. Do not miss this chance! Unforgettable impressions of the wondrous landscapes of the underworld, the feeling of the closeness of the other world await you. The picture is completed by cheerful gondoliers who will present you and your companions with wonderful songs with a Greek theme. In their society, time seems to freeze, and the whole world is reduced to the size of this cave.
A leisurely walk will give you the opportunity to carefully explore the cave with its many tunnels, as well as capture this exciting and at the same time bewitching moment on film forever.
It is believed that you can appreciate all the beauty of Melissani at noon. It was then that the rays of the sun penetrating by the vaults of the cave reveal all the wondrous beauty of this place. It is at noon that the level of beauty and spectacle inside the cave reaches its peak. At first glance, you fall in love with the cave, the entrance to which is lavishly decorated with greenery, and its walls are covered with numerous stalagmites and stalactites.
If you spend all day on the lake, you may notice that the water in it changes color.Either the lake buzzes with emerald shades, like a rare emerald, then it appears before tourists in a dress of a heavenly shade, then it frightens off visitors with dark, like an ocean, colors.
The depth in the lake is quite decent and in some places reaches 15 meters. Similar numbers will be shown to you by a thermometer immersed in water. Despite this, the sun's rays penetrating deep into the interior make it possible to perfectly see all the local inhabitants, among which there are eels, and mullet, and even small sea snakes. They are quite comfortable in cool water, the temperature of which rarely exceeds 15 degrees.
So it turns out, once having visited, albeit for a short time, this amazing place, almost everyone strives to get here again and again, periodically restraining their tourist impulse with vivid memories. Welcome to Greece, the land of olives and wondrous culture, a country full of intrigue and truly divine places!
