In the Devil’s Valley the earth smokes and whistles, the mud boils while sulfur vapors rise from the water of the lakes. It is here, between fumaroles and lagoons, that Dante found the inspiration for some passages of his Inferno.
Larderello and the inspiration for Dante’s inferno.
The scenery surrounding Larderello is characterized by a moonlike and almost disturbing atmosphere due to the continuous gurgling and vapors that rise from the surface and envelop the territory in a magical way.
But if today we know almost everything about the particular conformation of this unique terrain, in Dante’s time, this was definitely the perfect landscape to set his hellish scenes. For some, the poet found his inspiration during a vacation, while others argue that these areas probably captured his imagination since he was a child. Whatever the right version of the events is, what’s clear is that some passages of the Divine Comedy are very similar to how the Valley must have appeared to the unsuspecting visitor of that time.
Celebrate Dante at the 700th anniversary of his death.
On 14 September 2021, 700 years will have passed since the death of Dante Alighieri, and to mark this, the Municipality of Pomarance has presented the “Soffione Dantesco” project. The idea is to transform a cooling tower of the Larderello geothermal power plant into an enormous work of art, through an immense fresco that would cover an area of about six thousand square meters, representing Dante’s descent into hell together with his guide, Vergilius.
The work can then be admired by visitors through the construction of a structure in the heart of the tower, which would allow them to enjoy the beauty of the frescoes.
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