About 65 km south from Paralia Katerini’s, the guests of Hotel Akti Musson*** can visit the legendary Tembi Valley, famous since ancient times.
Tembi Valley is a spectacular natural gorge, formed by the river Pinios between Olympus Mountain (to the North) and Ossa Mountain (to the South). Tembi Valley is 10 km long and in some parts only 25 meters narrow ; the beautiful landscape is offered by Pinios river, flowing on its way to the Aegean Sea, and the amazing cliffs, with a height of nearly 500 m.
Tembi Pass represents the natural border between the historical and administrative Greek regions Makedonia and Thessalia. That is why this strategic place was the field of many battles during the history, since the Ancient times when the Athenian and Spartan armies gathered at Tembi to prevent the Persian invasion (480 BC), to the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
The Tembi Valley was mentioned in the Greek Mithology in relation with the victory of God Apollon against the legendary Python Serpent. Apollon was the God of the music, the poetry, the arts, the sun and the light, the truth and the prophecy. He was the son of Zeus, the supreme God and of beautiful Leto. Hera, the legitimate wife of Zeus, finding out of Zeus’ love for Leto and of her pregnancy, banned her from giving birth on a firm land, so Leto had to wonder from one place to another, until she found the new-created island of Delos, where she gave birth to the twin gods- Apollo and Artemis. Artemis (also known in the Roman mythology as Goddess Diana), was the goddess of nature, wild animals and hunting. The legend says that Hera, being very jealous on Leto, had sent the terrifying serpent Python to hunt Leto and kill her. Only four days after his birth, Apollo, who grew up miraculously, fought the Python Serpent at Delphi and killed him. After killing the Python Serpent, God Apollo came to Tembi and washed himself of the Serpent’s blood in the water of the Pinios River. The ancient Greeks were celebrating the victory of God Apollon against the Pyton Serpent by organising the Pythian Games at Delphi ; the Pythian Games were taking place every four years and were one of the four Panhellenic Games (The Olympic Games, The Pythian Games, The Nemean and Isthmian Games). The Pythian Games were not only sports competitions, but also competitions for art and music, dedicated to God Apollon. The winners of the Pythian Games were crowned with a laurel wreath from Tembi Valley. This beautiful Valley is full of laurel trees, which remind us also the love story of God Apollon for the beautiful Dafne nymph.
But Tembi Valley is important not only in the Greek Mithology, but also for the Greek Orthodox Church, since you can find here the beautiful small church dedicated to St Paraskevi (Agia Paraskevi).
Agia Paraskevi is celebrated in Greece on July 26th and she is considered to be the protector of the blind people. This martyr saint lived in the period of the Roman emperor Antonin , in the 2nd century AD and she was born at Rome, from Christian parents, on a Friday (as her name tells us – “Paraskevi” means “Friday” in Greek language). After the death of her parents, Paraskevi has dedicated her life to help poor people in the name of God and she has given all her fortune and money to those in need. The Roman emperor, having heard about this young girl Paraskevi, tried to convince her to give up her faith in God. Seeing that Paraskevi could not be convinced, he ordered her being tortured in very cruel ways, such as being put in a boiler with hot oil. The legend says that the oil splashed and burned the eyes of the emperor who was assisting at the public torture of Paraskevi. Then, the emperor asked Paraskevi to help him get back his sight and the will believe also in the true God that Paraskevi was preaching. The Saint said a prayer and made a miracle and the emperor could see again. Paraskevi was released and she continued preaching the true faith in villages and cities. Finally, she was beheaded by sword.
In Tembi Valley, there is a beautiful small church carved in the mountain, dedicated to Saint Paraskevi. All the pilgrims stop there to pray at the relics of the Saint , to light candles and to take water from the Spring of Saint Paraskevi. The spring with holy water (“agiasma” in Greek language) is in a cave next to the church, and it is said it helps those in need, with health problems.
In order to get to Saint Paraskevi Church, the visitors have to cross a bridge over the Pinios River. Either you are a believer of not, you should stop at Tembi Valley at least for the beautiful landscape offered by the mountain, the gorge and Pinios River.
The visit of Tembi Valley & Agia Paraskevi Church is included in the excursion to the Monasteries of Meteora, one of the most popular excursion chosen by Hotel Akti Musson guests. For details about the excursion and rates, do not hesitate to contact us :
Tramp Travel Agency (at the ground floor of Hotel Akti Musson) – Paralia Katerinis, 17 Vas Konstantinou, tel 0030 235 106 12 12
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