Mount Somma | |
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Monte Somma | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,132 m (3,714 ft) |
Coordinates | 40°49′18″N 14°25′34″E / 40.82167°N 14.42611°E |
Geography | |
Location | Province of Naples, Campania, Italy |
Parent range | Somma–Vesuvius |
Geology | |
Rock age | 25,000 BP |
Mount Somma (Italian: Monte Somma, lit. 'Mount Summit') is a mountain located in the Province of Naples, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is 1,132 metres (3,714 ft) high. It is an integral part of the Somma–Vesuvius volcanic complex and of the larger Campanian volcanic arc, which is known for its high levels of seismic and volcanic activity.[1]
The volcano is believed to have formed over 25,000 years ago. It has a collapsed caldera of an older volcano, with Mount Vesuvius rising up from the center. Despite the potential dangers associated with living near an active volcano, the Somma volcano and its surroundings are a popular tourist destination. The mountain lends its name to somma volcanoes, which have a cone rising from within an older caldera.