The historical Pausanias plane tree and 12 fountains monument

Pausania’s historical plane tree (Platanus orientalis) has been designated a Preserved Monument of Nature since 1976 (Government Gazette 738 / Β / 1976). It dates from the 2nd century BC, but the reference to Pausanias is not so much related to the plane tree itself, but to the 12 fountains, the springs that are near it and enjoy its shade. During 2021 was awarded as a historical tree relevant to the Greek Revolution of 1821 and belongs to a network of protected historical trees.
Pausanias plane tree is located on the beach of Aigio and belongs to the port zone managed by the Municipal Port Fund of Aigio. The plane tree has a perimeter at its base of about 12 meters and a maximum diameter of about 4 meters. His age dates back to about 600 years and his hair is said to have reached 50 meters.
The famous archaeologist Henry Schliemann, in his book “Peloponnese and Troy”, mentions this plane tree and notes that its age reaches 1450, maybe even more. In the year 1803-1804 the traveler Bartholdy writes: ¨.. there is a plane tree much stronger and even bigger in Vostitsa… it has a circumference of 36 feet (16 meters), five feet longer than Kos. However, he does not make a bigger impression than those who surround him. Under his shadow the Aegeans gather during the festivals and in the fountains they made at the spring, his women gather to wash… “. Finally, Puckeville, in his book “Voyage dans la Grece” in 1815, mentions about the springs and the plane tree, ” and foreigners… ». Baron P. d’ Estournel states in 1876 that this plane tree, during the Greek Revolution, served as a prison for prisoners, with a door on the opening side.