Lava flow of 1669 - Monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena - Catania, Italy
N 37° 30.266 E 015° 04.755
33S E 507004 N 4150835
In 1669 the Etna eruption surrounded the city of Catania, widening the coast for more than 1 km, and the monastery too.
Waymark Code: WMVDM5
Location: Sicilia, Italy
Date Posted: 04/05/2017
Views: 4
The monastery was not destroyed by the lava but the area around was completely modified by a lava bench 12 meters high.
On March 8, 1669 the Volcano Etna exploded. Lava started to flow from two deep fissures. There were high clouds of smoke, and pyroclastic materials were thrown around through explosions. The eruption of Etna showed all its power. At the end of April, the lava flow reached the city walls, and the Benedictine Monastery of the XVI Century.
The city was protected by building dikes in order to deviate the course of the lava flow.
The monastery was saved, but not the Church attached to it, which was completely destroyed by the lava. The area surrounding the Benedictine Monastery changed completely. Lava stone, up to 12 meters high had destroyed the cultivated area around the monastery, leaving behind a lunar landscape.
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania. It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe.
Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity.
Volcanic activity first took place at Etna about 500,000 years ago, with eruptions occurring beneath the sea off the ancient coastline of Sicily. About 300,000 years ago, volcanism began occurring to the southwest of the summit (centre top of volcano) then, before activity moved towards the present centre 170,000 years ago. Eruptions at this time built up the first major volcanic edifice, forming a stratovolcano in alternating explosive and effusive eruptions. The growth of the mountain was occasionally interrupted by major eruptions, leading to the collapse of the summit to form calderas.
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