Sacred mountains are central to certain
religions and are the subjects of many legends. For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to
heaven or other celestial bodies. Many religions have some sacred mountains - that either are or were considered
holy (such as
Mount Olympus in
Greek mythology) or are related to famous events (like
Mount Sinai in
Judaism and descendant religions). In some cases, the sacred mountain is purely mythical, like the
Hara Berezaiti in
Zoroastrianism.
Volcanoes, such as
Mount Etna in
Italy, were also considered sacred. Mount
Kailash is believed to be the abode of the Hindu deity
Shiva. Mount Etna was believed to have been the home of
Vulcan, the
Roman god of fire.