Hippocrates Tree
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Why go
- The oriental plane tree itself, about 500 years old, with branches held up by metal scaffolding.
- The two fountains beside the tree, whose inscriptions say their water comes from the physician's spring.
- The white tap engraved in Arabic, built by Gazi Hassan, beside the tree.
- The Hassan-Pacha mosque, built in 1776, standing right beside the tree.
Interesting facts3
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Cuttings of the tree are found at Yale University, among others.
Arbre d'Hippocrate - Wikipedia -
Many medical schools and libraries have, or claim to have, trees descended from it.
Πλάτανος του Ιπποκράτη - Wikipedia -
The tree is said to be Europe's largest plane tree.
Tree of Hippocrates - Wikipedia
Shorts
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🌳 The Tree of Hippocrates: Where Ancient Medicine Was BornAneta's travel diary
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Kos Town - Near the Hippocrates TREEKarl's Travel, Cruise, & Sightseeing Channel
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The Plane Tree Of HippocratesWhat-A-View
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KOS Big Tree | Tree of HippocratesLylaLand
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The Tree of Hippocrates | Wisdom Is TimelessAnneli Urge
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HIPPOCRATES PLANE TREE KOS GREECEada Wittenberger
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Hippocrates' Plane Tree in Kos Town on the island of Kos in GreeceDiscovering Kos and the Surrounding Islands
History
Legend says Hippocrates of Kos taught his pupils medicine beneath the tree, and that the first tree stood here about 2,400 years ago. The present tree is about 500 years old and may descend from that original. In the Ottoman period, former governor Gazi Hassan placed a fountain beside the tree. Later, seeds and cuttings spread to medical libraries and schools around the world, and the tree became a protected natural monument.
- About 2,400 years agoThe original tree is said to have stood here, with Hippocrates of Kos teaching beneath it.
- 57Tradition links the apostle Paul with teaching under the tree.
- 1821Islanders were put to death under the tree after a failed freedom struggle.
- 1954The island's medical association gave a gavel made from the tree's wood to a foreign medical association head.
- 1961A cutting from the island was planted in the gardens of the National Library of Medicine.
Show all
- 1975Metal scaffolding was set up to hold up some of the spreading branches.
- 1985The tree was declared a protected natural monument.
- 2013The tree fell and was replaced by one of its clones.
Tips for your visit
- Start at Platia Platanou, in the centre of Kos town, in front of the Castle of Knights.
- Look at the trunk from the square: it is hollow after repeated attacks by insects and fungi.
- The square lies in front of the castle and the government building, so both are close to the tree.
Sources: Tree of Hippocrates - Wikipedia · Kos - Wikivoyage (see) · Platane des Hippokrates - Wikipedia · Πλάτανος του Ιπποκράτη - Wikipedia · Arbre d'Hippocrate - Wikipedia · checked 26 Oct 2026
- Website
- treeofhippocrates.com/
Questions and answers
Where is the Hippocrates Tree?
The Hippocrates Tree stands on Platia Platanou square in the centre of Kos town. It is in front of the Castle of Knights, and the Gazi Hassan mosque stands beside it.
How old is the Hippocrates Tree?
The present tree is about 500 years old. It may descend from an older tree that, by legend, stood here about 2,400 years ago.
Is the Hippocrates Tree protected?
Yes. It has been a protected natural monument since 1985. Metal scaffolding now holds up some of its spreading branches.
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