Mount IDA (Kaz Dagi), 1774 m. / 5820 ft. height mountain, is located near the Edremit Bay between Ayvacik and Edremit. From Canakkale, follow the road to Bayramic ( 60 Km.), then carry on about 20 Km to Mount Ida National Park. The site is blessed with magnificent landscapes, restful green forests, and several springs and rivers. The Mount IDA is also very popular in Greek mythology like Olympos Mountain, due to its role in legendary Trojan war. According to the Greek Mythology, the first beauty contest was held in Mount IDA among the goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. This event was also considered as the origin of the Trojan War due to the jealousy of goddesses.
According to the greek mythology, The gods and goddesses were feasting together in order to celebrate the marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Eris, the goddess of discort, get very angry to not to be invited to the marriage. Then, she secretly came to the feast place, and put a golden apple, which was written "To The Fairest", on the feast table. After some controversy, Zeus ordered to held a contest for the fairest among Aphrodite, Hera and Athena according to the judgement of a mortal. That mortal was chosen as the son of the Trojan King Priamos, Paris. May be the first bribes in the history were offered to Paris by the three goddesses in order to win the contest. Hera offered Paris power and richness, if he decided in her favor. Athena proposed the wisdom and glory in wars. Finally, Aphrodite offered the most attractive one to Paris. She promised to give him the love of the most beautiful woman, Helen, in the world. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. Afterwards Hera and Athena became enemies of the Trojans. According to the legendary Trojan War, these events triggered the Paris’s move to Sparta in order to take Helen, the wife of Sparta King ‘ Menealus ’ , to Troy. This was mentioned as the reason for the famous Trojan war between Spartans and Trojans (see TROY section).