The volcano of Etna - beauty and terrible power

Speaking about the place where the volcano Etna is, you can say that it is almost a paradise. Sicily is an island with a Mediterranean climate, where high temperatures prevail for most of the year, and winter is short and mild. The sun here shines 2500 hours a year, and fertile soils give fine harvests of citrus fruits, palm fruits and grapes, from which a fine wine is prepared.

The Etna volcano refers to the so-called stratovolcanoes, which, as they arise, form beautiful cones. About how it was formed, there are several beautiful legends. In translation from ancient Greek, "etna" means "fiery mountain" or the verb "burn". It was believed that Etna for a time lived the son of Zeus and Hera Hephaestus, who forged on a fiery mountain of lightning for his father.

According to another version, on the Olympus once went to war the giants who wanted to avenge the victims of the hands of Zeus Titans. The ancient god defeated them and sent them to Etna, where they periodically shake the earth, trying to free themselves. Also, the Greeks believed that Etna, as a "branch" of Olympus, live their gods, so in order to appease the mountain, during some eruptions they threw gifts into the lava. In history, suicide is also noted by jumping into the mouth of a volcano. He made the philosopher Empedocles Akragansky in the 5th century BC. In order to be considered a god.

Scientific point of view believes that the volcano Etna arose about 600 thousand years ago in the sea. Gradually over the years, eruptions caused its growth to the current height of about 3300 meters. Today the volcano has 4 central cones that have arisen during various eruptions, but from afar they merge, so laymen believe that the volcano has one central crater.

On the mountain tours are carried out, including on a cable car, on off-road cars or on foot. Some tourists dare to climb independently, but everyone is advised to take the conductors, tk. The Etna volcano has a number of side exits, from which steam can appear.

The first known eruption of the volcano Etna is attributed to the 6th century BC. In 485, the first description of this process was drawn up by the Greek Pindar, who witnessed such an event. In the 4th century BC, an eruption took place that saved Syracuse, Messina and Catania from the invasion of the Carthaginians, which was blocked by the lava flow of Etna. And the natural cataclysm of 122 AD was so destructive that the population of the slopes of the volcano was exempted from taxes by the Roman Senate for 10 years.

The natural processes that the volcano demonstrates are absolutely unpredictable. For example, the eruption of 1669 was very strong, but did not affect the castle of Ursino, which is located in the vicinity of the mountain and exists to this day. The last time the volcano showed signs of activity in 2013, but it was weak and did not affect the work of the airport and the life of the islanders.

Watching the eruption of Mount Etna in recent decades, scientists fear that its expansive eruptions will be replaced by explosive-type eruptions that are more dangerous to the population and the environment of this undoubtedly paradise.