Description
The Virgin Forest of Frakto is the most beautiful and wildest forest in Greece and one of the few undisturbed forest ecosystems remaining in Europe. It is located in the northeastern part of the Drama prefecture, right on the border with Bulgaria.
The Virgin Forest is considered extremely valuable because it has remained almost untouched by human intervention for at least the past five centuries. Additionally, despite being in the Balkans, its flora and fauna are more characteristic of Scandinavian countries. For this reason, it was declared a natural monument as early as 1980, and in recent years, authorities, in collaboration with experts, have been working to include it on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Its older name, Zagkradenia, means “enclosed place,” just like its current name. Indeed, the forest is spread across a basin enclosed by peaks to the north, with the only natural exit being to the south.
According to Elsa Konstantinidou, director of the Drama Forestry Department, it is the only primary forest of its kind in Greece, as it has remained completely unaffected by human activity. Its remote location, far from the nearest settlements, and the steep terrain, which makes it unsuitable for grazing, have helped preserve its pristine state. As a result, it is considered the most ecologically complete virgin forest in Europe.
Due to the vast variety of trees growing in the area, Frakto transforms into a colorful paradise during the autumn months, captivating visitors with its stunning beauty. It is by far the most beautiful autumn destination in Greece for nature and photography enthusiasts.
A crucial factor in the forest’s incredible biodiversity and the health of its rare ecosystem is Achladorema, a stream that provides water to the forest. Achladorema forms six waterfalls within Frakto, three of which dry up during the summer months.
The forest is home to over 140 species of birds and 40 species of mammals, along with some of the rarest and most significant trees and plants in Greece. Bears are a permanent presence in the area, while wolves are also found in considerable numbers. The last natural population of red deer in Greece lives along the border, and many chamois take refuge in the cliffs and rocky slopes. Roe deer are abundant, and the region’s mammal population is further enriched by wildcats, wild boars, foxes, weasels, martens, otters, dormice, squirrels, hares, and numerous species of bats.
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Yiorgos Patroudakis comes from Sfakia. He has worked as a journalist for the past 31 years. He began his career in journalism in 1993, on Mesimvrini newspaper and ANT-1 radio. He subsequently worked in Eleftheros Typos, Ethnos and Dimokratia newspapers, holding managerial positions from 2000 onwards. From 2009 to 2017, he was director of special editions at Pegasus Publishing, which also published Ethnos, and created several magazines and albums on subjects related to traveling, monuments, wild nature and history.
His intensive and systematic engagement with photography began in 2003, when he published the magazine Kritiko Panorama. Since then, he has been avidly photographing monuments and landscapes, wild nature, flowers, customs and traditions. In recent years, he has become passionate about astrophotography.
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Pigment fine art prints have a lifespan of up to 50 years or even more, depending on the specifications of each paper (OBA percentage, acid free, etc.). Acryluxe prints have a lifetime of up to 10 years or even more, as defined by the certifications provided by the manufacturing companies. ChromaLuxe Metal Prints have a lifetime of up to 64 years, as defined by the certifications provided by the manufacturing company ChromaLuxe and Wilhelm Imaging Research, without these being at the same time a guarantee of lifetime and this because there can be no control as to conditions in which the prints are exposed at the end.
These certifications tests have been carried out under specific exposure conditions, such as indoor use, no sunlight or uv radiation, 20˚C – 28˚C temperature, 60% humidity and absence of environmental or other air pollution. Any deviation from the above can reduce the lifespan and affect the quality of the prints. Under normal conditions of sun exposure (direct or even reflected), the lifespan can be reduced to less than 5 years. Photolab Athens informs about the certifications of each method by the manufacturing companies, but does not guarantee the lifetime of the prints.
The products sold on the Site are digital prints some of them numbered and in limited edition. The digital prints are offered in one or more formats and print options, according to the suggestions made between the artist or his/her representatives and Signature Prints. The final paper print may be modified without any prior warning but replaced by a similar characteristics paper. The digital prints are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in English.
