Lago di Nicito
| Lago di Nicito | |
|---|---|
| Lake Nicito | |
  Lago di Nicito Location within Sicily | |
| Location | Province of Catania, Sicily |
| Coordinates | 37°30′30″N 15°04′46″E / 37.508233°N 15.079336°E |
| Type | Historic volcanogenic lake |
| Amenano | |
| Amenano | |
| Basin countries | Italy |
| Max. depth | 15 m (49 ft) |
Shore length1 | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Settlements | Catania |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lago di Nicito (Lake Nicito) was a lava-dammed lake in the Province of Catania, Sicily, Italy from the 5th to 17th century CE.
Formation
Lago di Nicito formed following a 5th-century CE eruption of Mount Etna, when the river Amenano was diverted and dammed by lava flows and volcanic debris.[1][2] The eruption caused a diversion near the piazza Santa Maria di Gesù.[3] The lake had a circumference of approx. 6km, with a peak depth of approx. 15m. The ancient road via Lago di Nicito is used to approximate the historic shoreline.[3] A later eruption of Etna in 1669 CE filled the basin with lava within 6 hours.[1][3]
Uses
Residents utilized the lake for economic activities such as fishing and trading,[1] as well as for recreation, such as boat racing and other high-society activities.[2][3]
References
- 1 2 3 Prestadmin (13 February 2020). "Once upon a time there was a real Lake of Nicito". Prestipino Cafè. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- 1 2 Musumeci, Grazia (3 December 2022). "Lake of Nicito, life and death of a volcanic lake". Go-Etna. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Marsala, Daniela. "How Lake Nicito in Catania got destroyed by lava in a few hours – Sicilian Post". Retrieved 3 May 2026.