Cape Matapan (Greek: Κάβο Ματαπάς, Maniot dialect: Ματαπά), also named as Cape Tainaron or Taenarum (Greek: Ακρωτήριον Ταίναρον), or Cape Tenaro, is situated at the end of the Mani Peninsula, Greece. Cape Matapan is the southernmost point of mainland Greece, and the second southernmost point in mainland Europe. It separates the Messenian Gulf in the west from the Laconian Gulf in the east.
Cape Matapan.Location of Cape Matapan.
Cape Taenarum in classical antiquity was the site of the city of Taenarum (Ancient Greek: Ταίναρον), now in ruins. In ancient Greek mythology the eponymous founder-hero of the city was Taenarus (Ταίναρος), who was credited with establishing the city's important temple of Poseidon.
Greeks used the proverb Tainarian evil (Ancient Greek: Ταινάριον κακόν), meaning a great and unlawful evil affecting suppliants, for the Spartans killed the Helots who had fled into Tainaron and were suppliants in the temple of Poseidon.[1][2][3]
Cape Matapan has been an important place for thousands of years. Near Taenarum, there is a cave that Greek legends claimed was the home of Hades, the god of the dead. The ancient Spartans built several temples there, dedicated to various gods. On the hill situated above the cave, lie the remnants of an ancient temple dedicated to the sea god Poseidon (Νεκρομαντεῖον Ποσειδῶνος). Under the Byzantine Empire, the temple was converted into a Christian church, and Christian rites are conducted there to this day. Cape Matapan was once the place where mercenaries waited to be employed.
At Cape Matapan, the Titanic's would-be rescue ship, the SS Californian, was torpedoed and sunk by German forces on 9 November 1915. In March 1941, a major naval battle, the Battle of Cape Matapan, occurred off the coast of Cape Matapan, between the Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina, in which the British emerged victorious in a one-sided encounter. The encounter's main result was to drastically reduce future Italian naval activity in the Eastern Mediterranean.
General infoedit
More recently[when?] a lighthouse was constructed, but it is now in disuse.
As the second southernmost point of mainland Europe, the cape is on the migration route of birds headed to Africa.
cape, matapan, tainaron, redirects, here, novel, tainaron, novel, taenarum, redirects, here, town, ancient, laconia, peninsula, taenarum, town, world, battle, battle, 1771, battle, battle, matapan, greek, Κάβο, Ματαπάς, maniot, dialect, Ματαπά, also, named, ca. Tainaron redirects here For the novel see Tainaron novel Taenarum redirects here For the town of ancient Laconia on the peninsula see Taenarum town For the World War II battle see Battle of Cape Matapan For the 1771 battle see Battle of Matapan Cape Matapan Greek Kabo Matapas Maniot dialect Matapa also named as Cape Tainaron or Taenarum Greek Akrwthrion Tainaron or Cape Tenaro is situated at the end of the Mani Peninsula Greece Cape Matapan is the southernmost point of mainland Greece and the second southernmost point in mainland Europe It separates the Messenian Gulf in the west from the Laconian Gulf in the east Cape Matapan Location of Cape Matapan Cape Taenarum in classical antiquity was the site of the city of Taenarum Ancient Greek Tainaron now in ruins In ancient Greek mythology the eponymous founder hero of the city was Taenarus Tainaros who was credited with establishing the city s important temple of Poseidon Greeks used the proverb Tainarian evil Ancient Greek Tainarion kakon meaning a great and unlawful evil affecting suppliants for the Spartans killed the Helots who had fled into Tainaron and were suppliants in the temple of Poseidon 1 2 3 Contents 1 History 2 General info 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editCape Matapan has been an important place for thousands of years Near Taenarum there is a cave that Greek legends claimed was the home of Hades the god of the dead The ancient Spartans built several temples there dedicated to various gods On the hill situated above the cave lie the remnants of an ancient temple dedicated to the sea god Poseidon Nekromanteῖon Poseidῶnos Under the Byzantine Empire the temple was converted into a Christian church and Christian rites are conducted there to this day Cape Matapan was once the place where mercenaries waited to be employed A naval battle occurred there on 19 July 1717 between the Venetian navy of the Republic of Venice supported by a mixed squadron of allied ships from Portugal the Papal States and Malta and the Ottoman fleet under Kapudan Pasha Egribozlu Ibrahim Pasha It is known as the Battle of Matapan and its results were indecisive At Cape Matapan the Titanic s would be rescue ship the SS Californian was torpedoed and sunk by German forces on 9 November 1915 In March 1941 a major naval battle the Battle of Cape Matapan occurred off the coast of Cape Matapan between the Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina in which the British emerged victorious in a one sided encounter The encounter s main result was to drastically reduce future Italian naval activity in the Eastern Mediterranean General info editMore recently when a lighthouse was constructed but it is now in disuse As the second southernmost point of mainland Europe the cape is on the migration route of birds headed to Africa See also editTaenarus mythology Alepotrypa cave Battle of Matapan Battle of Cape MatapanReferences edit Suda Encyclopedia tau 205 Plutarch Paroimiai aἷs Ἀle3andreῖs ἐxrῶnto 54 Suda tau 206External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cape Matapan Images of Cape Matapan36 23 06 N 22 28 58 E 36 38500 N 22 48278 E 36 38500 22 48278 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cape Matapan amp oldid 1178418001, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
