The island - Pantelleria
Pantelleria, the Mediterranean black pearl, the biggest of the islands that surrounds Sicily, is situated in the middle of the homonymous channel, about half way between this and African continent.
It extends for 83 sq. km. and reaches its maximum height in the middle, where the Montagna Grande rises, 836 mt high above sea level. The morphology of its territory is rather complex: in fact the Island originates from several volcanic phenomenons followed and superimposed one upon another in time.
All the land lengthening from north-east to south-west is rather rocky and falls sheer to the sea. The north-western part instead is more level and hilly.
The particularity of the island just resides in the variety of its landscapes. Surrounded by crystalline sea and very coloured depths, it gathers in its interior a rather rough territory, where nevertheless man succeeded in cultivating the wine, and a Natural Oriented Reserve extending from the centre of the island to the coast.
The volcanic origin of Pantelleria explains the spectacular columns of steam you might see get out from the many clefts opening in the rock: they are the so-called “Favare”. The same origin have the natural saunas, the so-called “Stufe”, where the steam emanations reach very high temperatures. Among the several springs of thermal waters present on the island, the most important is the Specchio di Venere (Venus mirror).
The History - Since the Neolithic, the Island was inhabited by people probably coming from Tunisia. Since that age Pantelleria was a place of particular importance for the abounding presence of obsidian, the most used material of prehistory. Some funerary monuments date back to this period. In the VII century B.C. it was colonized by Phoenicians that used it for trades as a bridge between Africa and Sicily.
Contested during the Punic Wars, it was then conquered by Romans, by Byzantines and, in the VIII century, by Arabs that called it “Bent el Rion - Daughter of the wind”. The long Arab domination leaved deep marks on language, customs, and traditions of the island. Also the construction of the Dammusi, the Pantelleria typical lava stone houses with dome-shaped roof, is due to them.
Since then, Pantelleria fated the whole Sicily. Because of its strategic position in Mediterranean Sea, during the II world war, suffered a heavy bombing that destroyed the most of built-up area.
How to reach it
By sea - from Trapani www.siremar.it, www.usticalines.it and www.traghettidelleisole.it. From Mazara del Vallo www.usticalines.it
By plane - Several companies manages flights to Pantelleria from the most important Italian airports. Look for the nearest to you !
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