Mount Etna

Etna, the living mountain

Etna is one of the most active and well-known volcanoes in the world, as well as a wonderful example of how geological processes leading to the formation of new earth are constantly active.
This volcano is characterised by an almost constant eruptive activity from its summit craters, and by periodic emissions of lava flows from the sub-terminal areas and the flanks at a medium altitude.
These are the reasons why Etna was included in the Unesco World Heritage List in 2013.
One of its main characteristics is the continuous change in the type of volcanic activity , from totally effusive to Strombolian and sub-Plinian, in addition to its high number of eruptive events.
All characteristics that in the last 50 years, i.e. since the birth of the scientific discipline of Volcanology, have led Etna to become one of the most well-known and used natural laboratories in the world. Both in traditional popular culture and in science, the name Etna is always associated with the word “Mount”, or the “Muntagna” in Sicilian dialect.
This is because, with its approximately 3400 metres of elevation above sea level, Mount Etna is practically visible from all of Sicily and a good part of Ionian Calabria.
 l'Etna da lontano

Etna, the living mountain

A fauna context yet to be discovered

Humankind and the volcano: how should we behave? Volcanic risk

Lachea Island and the Aci Trezza Stacks

Malavoglia

Val Calanna, the first step towards a single large volcanic structure

The different names of the “Muntagna”

The 2001 eruption of Mount Etna, where the approach to volcanoes changed

The first Etnean volcanic events between Aci Castello and Aci Trezza

An ever-evolving volcano

The Red Mountains and the destructive eruption of 1669

Etna, an ever-changing natural laboratory

Torre del Filosofo: at the base of the summit craters (2950 metres)

The continuous evolution of the Etna summit craters

The senses tell The Summit craters

Empedocles and his passion for Etna

The senses tell Torre del Filosofo

The senses tell Valle del Leone

The senses tell Acicastello and Acitrezza

Valle del Leone and the Elliptical

The senses tell Acireale

The Etna viewpoint

Etna: a marvellous group of microclimates and vegetation

The Elliptical, the first great volcano of Etna

The senses tell Val Calanna

Acireale and its “timpe”

Why did Etna form in that specific geographical position?

Summit crater activity between 2011 and 2019

The fault system of the “Timpe” of Acireale

The earthquake that changed the geography of eastern Sicily in 1693

Etna, wine terroir of excellence

Acireale and reconstruction after the 1693 earthquake

The Jaci river

The “notches” of snow

The senses tell The Etna viewpoint

The senses tell The Red Mountains

The eruption of 1928 that destroyed the town of Mascali

The Grand Tour in Sicily

The 1669 eruption in Catania

Volcanic monitoring and eruption forecasting