- TURY.CLUB
- Tourist Objects
- Italy
- Sicily
- Etna Park
Etna Park was created on the island of Sicily in 1987 on an area of 59,000 hectares, in order to protect the unique natural environment and landscape of the highest active volcano in Europe - Etna volcano. The height of Etna is 3350 meters, the area is 1260 square kilometers. The height of the volcano varies from eruption to eruption, now it is 21.6 meters lower than it was in 1865. Etna, in addition to the main crater, has 200 to 400 lateral volcanic craters, of which, in turn, lava erupts on average once every 3 months. The lateral crater of one of the largest eruptions in 2002-2003 is 450 meters below the peak of Etna. The volcano is located at the junction of African and Eurasian tectonic plates, the movement and collision of which cause eruptions. Over time, the "nature" of the volcano changes. If earlier the volcano, despite constant activity, was considered quite “calm and friendly,” recently, scientists have recorded changes in the direction of explosive and more destructive eruptions. Despite the danger, villages and cities are located at the foot of the volcano; grapes, fruits and olives are grown on its slopes. Due to the abundance of minerals and trace elements contained in cooled lava and volcanic ash, the soil here is very fertile. Mount Etna is associated with many legends and myths. The ancient Greeks believed that Athena crushed the immortal giant Enkelad, who was trying to get out and shake Etna, with the result that the volcano spewed lava. There is a legend according to which cyclops lived in the caves of Etna, including the famous Polyphemus. Etna was also called the mountain of the god of fire Hephaestus, on the top of the volcano were his forge and workshops in which he forged lightning for Zeus. There are 3 main routes for climbing Mount Etna - southern, eastern and northern. There is a cable car on the southern route. For self-trekking, it is recommended to hire a guide. Accurate maps of the slopes of Mount Etna do not exist, since after each major eruption, the terrain changes.
