This week, in honor of Iceland’s delightfully unpronouncable Eyjafjallajokull vocano blowing her top, we’ve decided to celebrate all things volcanic.

Let’s get started with the contenders already in the Atlas: 

San Juan Parangaricutrio Volcano - Atlas Obscura

In San Juan Parangaricutrio, Mexico, two entire villages were buried by a surprise volcano that rose out of a flat cornfield in 1943. The paracutin volcano erupted for another eight years, enveloping the villages nearby but miraculously sparing the alter and tower of this church.

San Juan Parangaaricutrio

Crate Lake Volcano - Atlas Obscura

Crater Lake in Oregon is the deepest lake in the world, and the result on a volcanic eruption some 8,000 years ago. The local Klamath tribe tell a story of a great battle between a fiery underworld god known as Llao and a sky god known as Skell, and of a last battle that created the lake’s “Wizard Island” - a mini volcano with its own mini crater lake.

Crater Lake

Kaweh Ijen Volcano - Atlas Obscura

Contender for worst job in the world: sulphur miner on active volcano. Industrious freelancers harvest 150-200 lb loads of sulphur used in vulcanizing rubber and bleaching sugar by hand on Kawah Ijena, an 8,660 foot active volcano in East Java, Indonesia.

Kawah Ijen Volcano

Stromboli Islan Volcano - Atlas Obscura

Stromboli Volcano, Italy has been erupting continuously for the last 2000 years. Strombolian eruptions which fling red hot chunks of lava out in a fireworks-like display are named for this volcano’s signature move. For a great view, you can visit the nearby seastack of Strombolicchio, which has a lighthouse at the top of 200 stairs.

Isola Stromboli

We’ll be sharing more volcano stories all week. If you have the skinny on a great volcano, add it to the Atlas, or email me your suggestions

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