| Alcantara | |
|---|---|
 The Alcantara during a 2003 flood | |
 Location of the Alcantara in Sicily | |
| Native name | |
| Location | |
| Country | Italy |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Monti Nebrodi (Commune ofFloresta,Province of Messina) |
| • elevation | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
| Mouth | Ionian Sea |
• location | Capo Schiso (Commune ofGiardini-Naxos, Province of Messina) |
• coordinates | 37°48′27″N15°15′27″E / 37.8076°N 15.2575°E /37.8076; 15.2575 |
| Length | 52 km (32 mi) |
| Basin size | 573 km2 (221 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 2.41 m3/s (85 cu ft/s) |
TheAlcantara (Italian:[alˈkantara];Sicilian:Arcàntara orCàntara) is a river inSicily,Southern Italy. It has its source on the south side ofMonti Nebrodi and its mouth in theIonian Sea at Capo Schiso inGiardini-Naxos. The river is 52 kilometres (32 mi) long.
The nameAlcantara is ofArabic origin (القنطرة,al-Qanṭarah, 'the Arch') and refers to a bridge fromRoman times found by theArabs.Thucydides called itAcesines (Ancient Greek:Ἀκεσίνης,romanized: Akesínēs) while its Latin names wereAssinus,Assinos,Asines,[1]Asinius,[2]Onobala,Onobalas,[3] andAcesines.[4]Cantera was anotherhydronym for it, adopted byNormans. The river is mentioned byThucydides on occasion of the attack made onNaxos by theMessenians in 425 BCE.[5]
The Alcantara has its source at an elevation of 1,250 metres (4,100 ft) in the municipality ofFloresta. On its way to the sea, past the north ofMount Etna, it flows through the municipalities ofRandazzo,Mojo Alcantara,Francavilla di Sicilia,Motta Camastra,Castiglione di Sicilia,Graniti,Gaggi,Calatabiano,Taormina andGiardini-Naxos.
Several thousand years ago, the river bed was blocked by a lava flow from Mount Etna. As thelava was cooled much more quickly by the water than it would have done otherwise, it crystallised in the form of columns. Over the next millennia, the river naturally eroded a channel through these columns, resulting in impressive gorges and ravines, such as the Alcantara Gorges (Gole dell'Alcantara) next toFrancavilla di Sicilia, where thePeloritani mountains end.
The Alcantara River Park (Parco fluviale dell'Alcantara) was established in 2001 for the protection of the river, and to encourage its use as a relaxation area and tourist destination. The columns and surroundings can be seen in the segment "The Enchanted Doe" of the 2015 filmTale of Tales.
Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Acesines".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
Media related toGole dell'Alcantara at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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