Panorama Photo

Kofinas is the highest summit of the Asteroussia, southernmost mountain range in the island of Crete. It towers above the surroundings with its majestic shape of a reversed pannier (kofini).
While being very thin in the S-N direction, this pannier stretches more widely E-W, such that it is difficult to effectively collect all the material inside a single view. The location chosen here optimizes the sight in direction SW, which I think to be the most stunning feature of this mountain.
Some remarks:
065°: Orosira Dikti, the third-highest mountain group of Crete;
085°: Timios Stavros, the chapel on the summit of the mountain, here happens to be partially hidden by a bush. In the Panoramio version linked below you can single out both the chapel, with the bell and a white cross, and the wooden cross standing on the summit;
163°: Koudouma monastery, reached by a long winding blank road, descending from a 1050 metre saddle between Kofinas and the nearby Madhara. One of the most far-away places in Crete (www.panoramio.com/photo/111458315);
195°: Agios Antonios, a little hermitage inside a huge cave close to a promontory which can be only guessed from the Kofinas (www.panoramio.com/photo/111458447);
220°: Agios Ioannis, featuring a monastery carved inside the rock, and decorated
with stunning frescoes. If you plan to reach it by car, consider to rely on a very strong one, since the gradient and the conditions of some cemented stretches are quite demanding;
250°: Trachoulas beach, very popular, embraced by a rocky promontory;
262°: Cape Lithino, the southernmost point of continental Crete, with 300m vertical walls plunging directly into the the water. Just behind you guess the island of Gavdos, namely, the southernmost piece of land in Europe;
275°: Kapetaniana, two twin mountain villages locate in an unique panoramic position. "True mountain people" in Crete are considered to be those from Anogia and those from Kapetaniana;
290°: Lefka Ori, the wide and wonderful mountain group in Western Crete, which I have already depicted in more than one panorama;
300°: Kedros, the highest isolated mountain of Crete outside the three main groups;
316°: Psiloritis or Mount Ida, highest mountain of Crete, culminating with another Timios Stavros.

The Kofinas is accessible by a walk of few minutes from the end of the track at a point close to the Panagia Kera, a little white church dedicated to the Virgin. Halfway between the Panagia and Kapetaniana one finds a closed excavation area, and I heard rumours about findings related to the Pythagorean school. I do not know how much this can be reliable, however, there is no doubt that ancient civilizations had a special eye for beautiful places. For example, already the Minoans built a peak sanctuary on the Kofinas, and it is conjectured that the royal palace of Festos was built in a strategic position with respect both to the Kofinas and to the extremely holy cave of Kamares, high up on the S flank of Mount Ida.
I encourage interested people, if any, to read more on www.explorecrete.com/hiking/Kofinas.html

20 HF, Canon G1X, 50 mm equiv, f/5.6, 1/640 sec. LR, Hugin.
Panoramio: static.panoramio.com/photos/original/118286991.jpg