Timpa Nature Reserve of Acireale
June 17, 2022
Photographer: Vincenzo Russo
Summary Author: Vincenzo Russo
The photo above shows the southern part of the “Timpa” of Acireale, Italy located on the east coast of Sicily. The Timpa consists of a steep cliff overlooking the sea that rises around 500 feet (150 meters) and extends for about 3.7 miles or 6 kilometers. It originated from the movement of the Acireale fault, one of the most important in the eastern region of the Etna volcano. Fault activity started about 200,000 years ago and lasted for about 100,000 years, which brought out numerous layers of volcanic rocks that tell the geological history of Etna. The terrain ruggedness makes the area almost inaccessible by land. This tough topography has enabled the landscape to remain an island of unspoiled nature, despite being located within a highly urbanized region. For this reason, it was locally proclaimed a nature reserve in 1999. Photo taken on February 6, 2022.
Photo details: Nikon D810a, Nikon 24-120 mm f/4G, focal length: 30mm, f/11, ISO-12800, 1/100 second exposure