Plane tree of Hippocrates

Plane tree of Hippocrates is a large oriental plane tree standing in Platía Platanou, central Kos. Its canopy reaches about twelve metres across, while the hollow trunk resembles a small cave. The tree stands before the Castle of the Knights, beside the late-eighteenth-century Gazi Hassan Mosque.

Legend places Hippocrates teaching medicine beneath these branches more than 2,400 years ago. The present tree is about 500 years old, and many people consider it a descendant of the ancient tree. Metal supports hold several branches, while a low wall protects the roots and keeps visitors back. A white marble fountain on the north side carries Arabic inscriptions describing water from Hippocrates’ tree. Another fountain has fourteen sides, a dome, seven arches, and Corinthian columns.

Fungi and wood-eating insects helped hollow the trunk over centuries, making preservation essential. Seeds and cuttings have travelled to medical institutions, universities, and hospitals across several continents. The tree has also sheltered international meetings devoted to medical history. Its most striking detail remains the vast, supported canopy rising above a trunk opened by time.