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- DESCRIPTION
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The Gorges of Alcantara were originated many
times ago, by the eruption of the crater Mojo in the north side of the Etna,
with an enormous quantity of lava which flowed till to the sea. The course
of the lava river is followed by a water-course which opens a road freeing
two high walls of basalt characterized by fascinating prismatic shapes. The
names of the river and the valley comes from the period of the Arab
domination in Sicily, infact the ancient name was Al Qantarah,
and it refers to the arched bridge built by Romans and able to resist
overflowing flood of the river.
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The Gole can be visited when water of the river is low.
Going down into the river's bed, it is possible to see the
mouth of a magnificent cavity of lava, dug by the Alcantara
River. The Gola, few metres large but over 20 metres deep,
is awful and wild. The lower entry shows two walls made by
black structures which rise opposite each other and run each
other to the sky. The chromate contrasts are very strong
with the black of the rock, the blue of the sky and the
green of the water.
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The enormous quantity of basalt, which we find inside the
Valley of Alcantara, originates from an ancient crater
called Mojo Alcantara. The river Alcantara, which have its
source at height of 1250 m. above sea level, is 52 km long,
while the valley of Alcantara or the "Alcantara Gorges" (other
denomination of this locality) is about 500 m. long. The
distance between the rocky walls is on an average of about 5
m. and the depth of the walls reaches also 55 m.
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