Pitons
Encyclopedia
The Pitons are two volcanic plug
s in a World Heritage Site
in Saint Lucia
. The Gros Piton is 771 m, and the Petit Piton is 743 m high; they are linked by the Piton Mitan ridge
.
and Choiseul
on the southwestern coast of the island.
Situated at the top the Piton Mitan ridge is the Ladera Hotel, offering a view over Piton bay.
Saint Lucia's local brand of beer
is named after these two mountains.
s. There are still sulfur
springs and hot mud pools in the nearby Soufrière caldera
, visible remnants of former volcanic activity in the area.
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
s in a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
. The Gros Piton is 771 m, and the Petit Piton is 743 m high; they are linked by the Piton Mitan ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
.
Geography
The Pitons are located near the towns of SoufrièreSoufrière, Saint Lucia
Soufrière is a quarter on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small sleepy fishing port with an emerging tourism industry...
and Choiseul
Choiseul Quarter
Choiseul is a Quarter of the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia. Located on the southwestern side of the island, the quarter is home to 6,174 people, according to the 2002 census...
on the southwestern coast of the island.
Situated at the top the Piton Mitan ridge is the Ladera Hotel, offering a view over Piton bay.
Saint Lucia's local brand of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
is named after these two mountains.
Geology
The Pitons are volcanic plugVolcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
s. There are still sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
springs and hot mud pools in the nearby Soufrière caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
, visible remnants of former volcanic activity in the area.