"Ukraine. Capuchin catacombs of Palermo, Sicily were used as late as the 1920s. Catacombs were available in some of the grander English cemeteries founded in the 19th Century, such as Sheffield General Cemetery (above ground) and West Norwood Cemetery (below ground). There are catacombs in Bulgaria near Aladzha Monastery and in Romania as medieval underground galleries in Bucharest. In Ukraine and Russia, catacomb (used in the local languages' plural ""katakomby"") also refers to the network of abandoned caves and tunnels earlier used to mine stone, especially limestone. Catacombs, although most notable as underground passageways and cemeteries, also house many decorations."
"Capuchin Crypt The Capuchin Crypt is a small space comprising several tiny chapels located beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on the Via Veneto near Piazza Barberini in Rome, Italy. It contains the skeletal remains of 3,700 bodies believed to be Capuchin friars buried by their order. The Catholic order insists that the display is not meant to be macabre, but a silent reminder of the swift passage of life on Earth and our own mortality. When the monks arrived at the church in 1631, moving from the old monastery, they brought 300 cartloads of deceased"
"Neptune's Grotto Neptune's Grotto (; ) is a stalactite cave near the town of Alghero on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The cave was discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction. The grotto gets its name from the Roman god of the sea, Neptune. The entrance to the grotto lies only around a metre above the sea level at the foot of the 110-metre-high ""Capo Caccia"" cliffs and the cave can therefore only be visited when the waters below are calm. A stairway cut into the cliff in 1954, the"
"Pityusic Islands The Pityusic Islands, often referenced simply as the Pityuses ( , ; from the Greek πιτύα ""pitýa"", pine tree), or commonly but informally (and ambiguously) as the Pine Islands, is the name given collectively to the Balearic islands of Ibiza (Catalan: ""Eivissa""), Formentera, S'Espalmador and other small islets in the Mediterranean Sea. The islands are situated approximately southwest of the island of Majorca, and approximately east of the Cap de la Nau in the Iberian Peninsula. The first known name of the islands was the Ancient Greek geonym Πιτυοῦσσαι ""Pityûssai"" (""covered in pine trees""). From about 200 BCE,"
"with re-opening the discussion about death in Sicily; The catacombs are open to the public and taking photographs inside is supposedly prohibited. However, the bodies have been shown on film in Francesco Rosi's ""Cadaveri Eccellenti"" (""Illustrious Corpses""), and television programmes such as the Channel 4 series ""Coach Trip"", BBC TV series """", ""Ghosthunting With Paul O'Grady and Friends"" on ITV2 in 2008 and The Learning Channel in 2000. Iron grills have been installed to prevent tourists tampering or posing with the corpses. Catacombe dei Cappuccini The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (also Catacombe dei Cappuccini or Catacombs of the Capuchins) are"
"cultures. The oldest natural mummy in Europe was discovered in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps on the Austrian-Italian border. Nicknamed Ötzi, the mummy is a 5,300-year-old male believed to be a member of the Tamins-Carasso-Isera cultural group of South Tyrol. Despite his age, a recent DNA study conducted by Walther Parson of Innsbruck Medical University revealed Ötzi has 19 living genetic relatives. The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo were built in the 16th century by the monks of Palermo’s Capuchin monastery. Originally intended to hold the deliberately mummified remains of dead friars, interment in the catacombs became a status symbol for"
"Genovesa Island Genovesa Island, named after the Italian city of Genoa, in honor of Christopher Columbus, (referred to in English as Tower Island) is a shield volcano in the Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The island occupies about , and its maximum elevation is . The horse-shoe shaped island has a volcanic caldera whose wall has collapsed, forming the Great Darwin Bay, surrounded by cliffs. Lake Arcturus, filled with salt water, lies in the centre, and sediment within this crater lake is less than 6,000 years old. Although no historical eruptions are known from Genovesa, there are very"
"Sicily Sicily ( ; ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as ""Regione Siciliana"". Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently high. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate. The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates"
"20th century as a driving cap, usually worn by car drivers. The ""coppola"" is usually made in tweed. Today it is widely regarded as a definitive symbol of Sicilian heritage. Sicily Sicily ( ; ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as ""Regione Siciliana"". Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in"
"Ras Nouadhibou Ras Nouadhibou () is a peninsula or headland divided between Mauritania and Western Sahara on the African coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is internationally known as Cabo Blanco in Spanish or Cap Blanc in French (both meaning ""White Headland""). In the 14th and 15th centuries, fishing activities carried out from the nearby Canary Islands, by Spanish fishermen, inspired Spain to develop an interest in the desert coast of what is today called Western Sahara. Cabo Blanco, in the Atlantic Ocean, is the only place in the world where Mediterranean monk seals form a true colony. In 1997,"
"Tower, now known as the Sevilla Tower and completed in 2016. Isla de La Cartuja Isla de la Cartuja (Island of the Carthusians) is an island in the Guadalquivir River at Seville, Spain. The island's name derives from the cloistered monastery (Cartuja) located on the site, the ""Monasterio de Santa María de las Cuevas"", where Cristopher Columbus lived when planning the voyage to the west. The world's fair to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first Columbian expeditions, the Expo '92 was located here. Before 1992, the island was completely isolated between two Guadalquivir river branches. After the rearrangement of"
"church of the Capuchin monastery, in the small village of Manoppello, Italy, where it had been in the custody of the Capuchin Friars since 1660. The image, known as the Manoppello Image is attested to by Father Donato da Bomba in his “Relatione historica” research tracing back to 1640. Recent studies have revealed noted congruities with the Shroud, see below. In September 2006 Pope Benedict XVI made a private pilgrimage to the shrine, his first as Pope, raising it to the status of a Basilica. The Shroud of Turin (or Turin Shroud) is a linen cloth bearing the hidden image"
"Medes Islands The Illes Medes () is a small and craggy group of seven islets in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the Medes Archipelago belongs to the Baix Empordà comarca, Catalonia, Spain. The islands are located close to the shore, east of the coastal town of L'Estartit. In the 15th century the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem built a fortress on Meda Gran. They eventually left and pirate attacks in the 16th century damaged the fortress. The fortress became a prison during the 18th century and at the time of the Napoleonic Wars was again fortified. On"
"Tuvixeddu necropolis The necropolis of Tuvixeddu is a punic necropolis, one of the largest in the Mediterranean, located in a hill inside the city of Cagliari, Sardinia, called Tuvixeddu (in sardinian language ""Tuvixeddu"" mean ""hill of the little holes""). Between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC the Carthaginians chose this hill to bury their dead: these burials were reached through a well dug into the limestone rock (from two to eleven meters deep), a small opening introduced to the burial chamber. The burial chambers were beautifully decorated; there were found amphorae and ampoules for the essences. Of particular interest among"
"Caprera Caprera is an island in the Maddalena archipelago off the coast of Sardinia, Italy. In the area of La Maddalena island in the Strait of Bonifacio, it is a tourist destination and the place to which Giuseppe Garibaldi retired from 1854 until his death in 1882. The island was probably given its name because of the numerous wild goats living on it (""capra"" means ""goat"" in Italian). It is the second largest island in the archipelago and has an area of and of coastline. Monte Tejalone is the highest point (212 m). On the south-western side is a sailing"
"Nereo Cave Nereo Cave (; ) is a huge underwater sea-cave situated on the north-west of Sardinia in the ""Coral riviera"" of Alghero, Italy. The name was given by the discovers in honour of the mythological figure Nereus, who is often billed as the Old Man of the Sea, father of the Nereids. The site is under the high limestone cliffs of Capo Caccia, 100 metres north of the famous Neptune's Grotto. The cave is considered the biggest marine cave in the Mediterranean Sea. With the around 10 entrances, arches and tunnels, it is possible to make dives from 0"
"Vauban, built in schist and granite and made up of an underground battery (1890) and a rapid-fire battery (1890) It was linked to the mainland by a bridge in 1859. On the heights overlooking the islet is an upper battery (1885) to the islet's right and left, a platform battery with an underground magazine (1897) and a mortar battery (1889). Îlot des Capucins Îlot des Capucins (""Islet of the Capuchins"") is a rocky islet at the foot of a cliff in the commune of Roscanvel on the Crozon peninsular. Its name comes from a rock near the island, shaped like"
"sloping cliffs on the east coast, and vertical sheer cliffs on the west coast. The fauna and flora of Lampedusa are similar to those of North Africa, with a few pelagic endemic species. The ""Isola dei Conigli"" (literally ""Rabbit Island""), close to the south coast of Lampedusa, is one of the last remaining egg-laying sites in Italy for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which is endangered throughout the Mediterranean. The beach and the neighbouring island are part of a nature reserve: here the singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno spent his vacations, and died in 1994. Next to Parise Cape is a small beach"
"Acropolium of Carthage The Acropolium, also known as Saint Louis Cathedral (), is a Roman Catholic church located in Carthage, Tunisia. The cathedral sits on the peak of Byrsa Hill, near the ruins of the ancient Punic and then Roman city. It was built atop the ruins of an old temple dedicated to Eshmun, the Punic god of healing. The edifice can still be accessed from the basement. Since 1993, the cathedral has been known as the ""Acropolium"". It is no longer used for worship, but instead hosts public events or concerts of Tunisian music and classical music. Currently, the"
"Cape Verde Cape Verde () or Cabo Verde (, ) (, ), officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean. It forms part of the Macaronesia ecoregion, along with the Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Savage Isles. In ancient times these islands were referred to as ""the Islands of the Blessed"" or the ""Fortunate Isles"". Located west of the Cape Verde Peninsula in West Africa, the islands cover a combined area of slightly over . The Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the 15th century,"
"Pelagie Islands The Pelagie Islands (, ), from the Greek , meaning ""open sea"", are the three small islands of Lampedusa, Linosa, and Lampione, located in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta and Tunisia, south of Sicily. To the northwest lie the island of Pantelleria and the Strait of Sicily. Geographically part of the archipelago (Lampedusa and Lampione) belongs to the African continent; politically and administratively the islands fall within the Sicilian province of Agrigento and represent the southernmost part of Italy. Despite pockets of agriculture, the islands are unnaturally barren due to wanton deforestation and the disappearance of the native"
"Pontine Islands The Pontine Islands () are an archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the west coast of Italy. The islands were collectively named after the largest island in the group, Ponza. The other islands in the archipelago are Palmarola, Zannone, and Gavi to the northwest, Ventotene and Santo Stefano to the southeast. These two groups are separated by . From Sabaudia-Cape Circeo peninsula to Zannone the distance is , while Ventotene faces Gaeta (21 miles). The minimum distance between Santo Stefano and the isle of Ischia is . The archipelago is volcanic and has been inhabited for thousands of"
"Kepi i Gjuhëzës, as well as a total number of 20 caves along the whole coast. Karaburun Peninsula (Albania) The Karaburun Peninsula () is a peninsula of the Mediterranean Sea located in Southern and Southeastern Europe, which is almost completely surrounded by both the Adriatic Sea to the north and the Ionian Sea to the south. It is located in Southwestern Albania along the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, whereas the Strait of Otranto separates it from Italy. The Strait of Mezokanal dissociates the peninsula from Sazan Island, while in the southeast stretches the Bay of Vlorë. In terms of geology,"
"Pope Silverius was exiled to and died on Palmarola in 537. Palmarola Palmarola is a craggy, mostly uninhabited island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the west coast of Italy. It is the second largest of the Pontine Islands and located about west from Ponza. Palmarola has an extremely rocky coast dotted with natural grottos, bays, cliffs, and crags. The island is primarily a nature reserve, but there are a handful of ports where boats can land and several restaurants that cater to tourists during the summer season. A few small beaches exist. The famous French explorer and oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau"
"excavated Roman city which was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is among the most popular destinations in all of Italy.Three islands in the Gulf of Naples are also prominent destinations; Ischia, Procida, part of the Phlegrean Islands, and Capri. Together they are also known as the Campanian Archipelago. On Capri, there is the famous Blue Grotto; inside the grotto the sea seems to be lit from underwater, it is a magnificent blue colour, hence its name. The Sorrentine Peninsula (and its main town Sorrento) has long been a popular destination for tourism, it is well known for the"
"Gough Island Gough Island , also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares after the Portuguese explorer, is a rugged volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is about south-east of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago (which includes Nightingale Island and Inaccessible Island), north-east from South Georgia Island, west from Cape Town, and over from the nearest point of South America. Gough Island is uninhabited except for the personnel of a weather station (usually six people) which the"
"English. The grotto is widely visited, and during the peak tourist season in August, can contain around 200 people at a time. Neptune's Grotto was the set of the movie ""Island of the Fishmen"", filmed in the summer of 1978. For approximately two months the Grotto was transformed into a gigantic set. The science fiction movie starred Barbara Bach, and was under the direction of Sergio Martino. Neptune's Grotto Neptune's Grotto (; ) is a stalactite cave near the town of Alghero on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The cave was discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century and"
"Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; , ) is a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco at the closest point. The Canaries are among the outermost regions (OMR) of the European Union proper. It is also one of the eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality recognized as such by the Spanish Government. The Canary Islands belong to the African Plate like the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla, the two on the African mainland. The seven main islands are (from largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura,"
"Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; , , , , , ) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian people, identified since the 6th century BCE with the Etruscans of Italy. The sea is bounded by the islands of Corsica and Sardinia (to the west), the Italian peninsula (regions of Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria) to the east, and the island of Sicily (to the south). The Tyrrhenian sea also includes a number of small islands like Capri, Elba and Ustica. The maximum depth of the sea is"
"Kavachi Kavachi is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the south-west Pacific Ocean. Located south of Vangunu Island in the Solomon Islands, it is named after a sea god of the New Georgia Group islanders, and is also referred to locally as Rejo te Kavachi (""Kavachi's oven’). The volcano has become emergent and then been eroded back into the sea at least eight times since its first recorded eruption in 1939. In May 2000, an international research team aboard the CSIRO research vessel FRANKLIN fixed the position of the volcano at 8° 59.65'S, 157° 58.23'E. At that time"
"Torra di Castelluchju The Tower of Castelluchju () is a ruined Genoese tower located in the commune of Ajaccio (Corse-du-Sud) off the west coast of the Corsica. The tower sits on the southern end of the Grande Sanguinaire, the largest island in the Îles Sanguinaires archipelago. The tower was one of a series of coastal defences built by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by Barbary pirates. The exact year when the tower was built is not known but it is mentioned in a report written in 1597 for the Genoese authorities by the"
"BC, and the oldest known hominin footprints in Europe were the Ciampate del Diavolo tracks found at the Roccamonfina volcano in Italy, dated to around 350,000 years ago. The footprints were discovered in May 2013 by Nicholas Ashton, curator at the British Museum, and Martin Bates from Trinity St David's University, who were carrying out research as part of the Pathways to Ancient Britain (PAB) project. The footprints were found in sediment, partially covered by beach sand, at low tide on the foreshore at Happisburgh. The sediment had been laid down in the estuary of a long-vanished river and subsequently"
"Pantelleria Pantelleria, the ancient Cossyra or Cossura, is an Italian island and commune in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and east of the Tunisian coast. Tunisia is visible on clear days. Administratively Pantelleria's commune belongs to the Sicilian province of Trapani. With an area of , it is the largest volcanic satellite island of Sicily. The last eruption occurred below sea level in 1891, and today phenomena related to volcanic activity can be observed, such as hot springs and fumaroles. The highest peak, called ""Montagna Grande"", reaches above sea level. The Carthaginians knew the"