Stoves of San Calogero in Sciacca
The Stufe di San Calogero are a complex of caves , located inside Mount Kronio in Sciacca, from which sulphurous vapors escape, exploited since from antiquity for therapeutic purposes. In Mount Kronio there is the deepest cavity in Sicily which is affected by a flow of vaporous air with temperatures ranging between 37 ° and 39 °.
Traces of human settlements dating back to the Copper Age have been found in the caves and, abandoned following the release of vapors, finds from the Greek era. In the 4th century, the hermit monk San Calogero discovered the therapeutic virtues of steam, so the caves were transformed into therapeutic places, they were also equipped with stone seats for patients. For millennia it has been customary to stop at the entrance to derive some therapeutic benefits but it is impossible to enter given the high temperatures.
It is believed that Mount Kronio represents the vestiges of an ancient volcano , whose activity today is limited only to the emission of sulphurous vapors. The hypothesis is supported by the presence of the Ferdinand island of volcanic nature, located off the coast of Sciacca, which is part of a larger volcanic system known as "Empedocle".
According to legend, it was Dedalo who excavated the Stufe di San Calogero .
