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 Salina is the second largest
of the seven Aeolian Islands, after Lipari, with a total
surface area of 27 km². The island is formed by six inactive
volcanoes, the two youngest and tallest of which are named
Fossa delle Felci ("Fern Hollow") and Monte dei
Porri. In the Hellenic Age, the island was named "Didyme", a Greek name which refers to the the two mountains
as "twins". The modern name comes from the production of sea
salt which was performed at the southern tip of the island.
There are three principal
towns on Salina: Santa Marina, Malfa and Leni. The island
was inhabited as far back as the Bronze Age and has been
developed and then abandoned many times in the subsequent
millennia. In 1544, when Spain declared war on France, the
French king Francois I, asked the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman
for help. The latter sent a fleet headed by Khair ad Din (A.K.A."Barbarossa")
who was victorious over the Spaniards, and managed to retake
Naples from them. In the course of the battle, the Aeolian
Islands were depopulated. Later immigrants from mainland
Italy, Sicily and Spain re-established communities on
Salina. Certain areas on the island, including the two
mountain peaks, were designated as a natural reserve in
1981. There are currently approximately 2300 residents
living in Salina. |
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