The use of Etna lava stone

Etna Lava Stone, formerly fused and incandescent lava, is the key player of a magic and wonderful itinerary through which, the visitor identifies images of architecture, artisan products and art works, all obtained with this unique raw material over the centuries. In the Etna area, Basalt is the main element used by carvers to create furnishing items, sculptures, fountains, piles, millstones, doorway jambs, architraves and fireplaces, etc. Lava stone dominates the countryside and narrates a series of events of destruction and renaissance, with a harsh perseverance that determines its dramatic and severe aspect on the countryside.

The distinctive character of the Etna countryside is determined not only by the nature’s actions and the countless country houses and farmhouses, but also by various constructions that express the man’s handiwork, the most significant being the “dry-stone walls”.

The monumental nature and coordinating presence of the terraced landscapes, together with further contrasting elements, define the territory’s aesthetic identity. The traditional terraced countryside is also linked with the history of the community that established them; it is the result of a common project that represents the expression of a hard-working and extended rural colonization.