Caves of Etna
Giuseppe Scandura
Over 250 caves have been recorded within the Etna Park.
The Etna caves are lava-flowing caves, natural formations that are created during the eruption: as the magma flows, the cooling of the external part occurs, where the flow is reduced until it disappears, while in the internal part the magma, still in a fluid state, continues to flow, emptying the tunnel that has been created.
Most of these caves, with lengths ranging from 50 meters up to 1 km, and several meters deep, can be visited but it is always recommended to do so with an expert guide. Among the caves present on Etna of particular interest are: the Lamponi cave, the Rotoli cave, the Ladroni cave, the Serracozzo cave, the Coruccio cave, the Gelo cave, the Tre Livelli cave and the Palombe cave.
The Lamponi Cave is one of the most important and longest caves of Etna. Its discovery took place in 1965 by some volunteers of the C.A.I of Linguaglossa, on the spectacular lava of the Dammusi of 1614. The name is linked to the presence of a rich vegetation of raspberries that the explorers found at its entrance.
The Rotoli Cave was formed by the eruption of 1865. The cave, which unfortunately due to some collapses is divided into several sections, has the characteristic lava rolls, lava pendants and a dense presence of foils in the side walls.
The Serracozzo Cave is a lava flow tunnel created during the eruption of 1971. Its length is about 350 meters, but its peculiarity can be seen in the upstream section where it is contained in the eruptive fissure. In this section the cave assumes a lock-shaped section with a height of several meters.
The Ladroni Cave was formerly used as a "niviera", for the collection of snow that was sold during the summer. This is also evidenced by the presence of steps carved into the lava stone that allow you to visit it comfortably. The name of the cave is linked to a folk tale that tells of a group of bandits who took refuge inside the cave in the second half of the eighteenth century. Some sections of the cave allow you to stand inside, while at other points you have to crawl. From a hole in the ceiling it arises. a birch, whose roots sink into the lava stone.The entrance is along the road from Fornazzo to the Citelli refuge, a few tens of meters from the road.
The Corruccio Cave is a cavity contained in part in the effusive mouth of the eruptive apparatus of Monte Corruccio, and in part in the lava flow. An imposing collapse of the vault, where a stone staircase was built, separates the cave into two parts. The upstream section has a very pointed ogival vault and a lava floor with a joined surface, the downstream section has a trapezoidal section with a floor of volcanic sand and stones in the initial portion and surface lava joined to large ropes in the terminal portion.
The Grotta del Gelo is characterized by having perennial ice inside, and is made even more suggestive by the presence of ice stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is considered to be the southernmost perennial glacier in Europe. The cave is located at 2030 meters above sea level in the Randazzo area and was formed during the eruption of 1614. In summer the cave is easily accessible, although it takes 5 hours of walking to reach it. In winter, its entrance is often hidden by the snow, which completely covers it.
The Cave of the Three Levels, discovered by chance during the excavation work for the construction of the Zafferana-Rifugio Sapienza road, was formed during the eruption of 1792. The movement of a bulldozer caused the roof of the cave to collapse in a point where it was divided into three superimposed galleries. Hence the name that was initially attributed to it and with which it is still indicated today. Only the lowest level of the three is the actual flow tunnel, and in the downstream section it leads, even if separated by a short lava diaphragm, to another cave called KTM, which is part of the same lava flow system.
The Palombe Cave is a deep fracture formed inside one of the cones of the 1669 eruption, in the Monti Rossi di Nicolosi. This cavity left by the magma that flowed back into the fracture of the aforementioned cone can now be visited but only by expert speleologists.
