In Emilia Romagna, there is the world's smallest volcano, already known during the Middle Ages, from a writing by the Dominican friar Leandro Alberti in 1588. A natural phenomenon characterized by the emission of hydrocarbons from the ground that ignite spontaneously in contact with oxygen in the air... #tuttitaly
For those who do not like to stay at home on Sundays, for those who love nature, and for those who love to discover unique phenomena in the world, the Monte Busca Volcano is the ideal destination. And we at tuttitaly certainly could not miss the opportunity to get to know the smallest volcano in the world, also because it is located right in our vicinity, more precisely on the Romagna hills between Val Tramazzo and Val Montone, in a place called Hell, at an altitude of 740 m above sea level.
The volcano of Monte Busca: what is it? (Spoiler 😉)
Once you arrive at the volcano of Monte Busca, you will realize that you are facing another type of phenomenon: an endless source of methane that escapes from the ground and often ignites spontaneously. If atmospheric events, such as downpours, should extinguish the fire, the locals will rekindle it again to avoid gas spillage.
History
This methane source was already known in the 16th century.
The historian Leandro Alberti, in 1588, wrote: "Poscia da Portico a mile away you see a place from the inhabitants of the village called Inferno, where the terra negra et ponderosa is, in which there is a hole 4 feet wide. A flame of fire comes out, the earth being lit with lighted sulfur and still burns the green wood placed there and is extinguished with woolen cloths thrown on it ... "
Although a plan had been devised in 1939 that allowed exploiting this methane resource, it was soon realized that the flow did not make any project economically viable, so the field fell into disuse.
Conclusion
You can see the complete album with the images I took of the Monte Busca volcano by clicking the link below.
You may feel like you are looking at a pile of stones, but I assure you that this is truly a fascinating place that allows you to enjoy a little barbecue and breathe fresh air in an open field. And if you are not in a hurry, you can wait for the sunset, making the flames even more suggestive.
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