The legends of the peoples of the Earth tell about the divine origin of the fiery mountains. Will the highest volcano in the world be able to share supernatural power? The answer can be obtained only by undertaking a dangerous journey on your own. Ancient people believed that in the depths of the majestic giants, mythical creatures were hidden that could give immortality to those who dared to climb to their top and look into the crater with red-hot restless lava.
Olympus
What is the highest volcano in the world located on another planet? This is an extinct giant from distant Mars, recognized as the largest in the Solar System - Olympus, whose name was given in honor of the legendary abode of the ancient Gods. The last time fiery lava erupted from a huge vent was two million years ago. Only the diameter of the former crater of this long dormant giant is 60 km. Olympus majestically rises to 26 kilometers, the width of the giant is as much as 540 km.
Its steep slopes, one ofversions of scientists, were once washed by the ocean, thanks to which they acquired such an unusual shape. All the highest volcanoes in the world that are on Earth are much inferior to Olympus in size. It is so huge that it is not even visible in its entirety from the surface of the planet.
Mauna Loa
Active volcano Mauna Loa is located in Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Most of the giant is hidden under water, but if you measure the distance from the top to the bottom, you get 9000 meters. This giant is the highest active volcano in the world, it is even larger than Everest. The huge Mauna Loa is also distinguished by a record volume of 75,000 cubic meters. He is very active and dangerous. During his last awakening, in 1984, the territory of the island increased by as much as 180 hectares thanks to powerful lava flows.
Aconcagua
An extinct volcano Aconcagua rises in the mountains of Argentina. The height of the giant is 6962 m. The exact origin of the name remains a mystery to researchers. The second place in the ranking of "The highest volcanoes in the world" is occupied by this beautiful giant.
A huge ice cap has formed on the top - it's been too long since lava erupted from its mouth. Picturesqueness has made Aconcagua an attractive place for climbers. There are a lot of people who want to climb the magnificent snowy slopes of the once dangerous volcano.
Ojos del Salado
In the snowy Andes there is a peacefully sleeping Ojos del Salado, a volcano with a height of 6893 m. The giant's name means "s alty eyes", for the ancient Incas this mountain was considered sacred,sacrifices were made here. Near the top is a beautiful lake, called the highest mountain on the planet.
The last time fire erupted from its crater was a full thousand years ago. It is considered safe, but now scientists are noticing some activity, and locals sometimes smell sulfur in the air. Once, a small amount of steam and ash was even seen above the giant. At any moment, the picturesque peace of this place can be disturbed by a powerful eruption, when the giant awakens from a thousand-year sleep.
Llullaillaco
The Alps include a volcano with a long and hard-to-pronounce name Llullaillaco, whose height is 6725 meters. It is located in the Atacama Desert. The snowy slopes of the volcano look fantastic among the endless sands.
Almost near the crater itself, scientists discovered several mummified bodies that were there several centuries ago. Most likely, the ancient Incas tried to appease the formidable giant with their bloody offerings.
The last time Lullaillaco woke up was in 1887. Now life is in full swing in its depths. He will still show his firepower! So far, it only promises an eruption, sometimes releasing a huge incandescent cloud over the summit.
San Pedro
The beautiful Alps, which include the highest volcanoes in the world, are real champions in terms of the number of dangerous objects. This is the second formidable giant. San Pedro, whose height is 6159 meters, just recently, 55 years ago, showed its serious power. By your strengthwhich can easily cause terrible destruction, he commands unwavering respect.
Crowds of tourists who come for an extreme walk to its mouth provide local residents with a good income. True, it is allowed to be near the crater only in a special mask, otherwise it is easy to inhale poisonous gases.
Chimborazo
Whipper, one of the three peaks of the Chimborazo volcano is the most distant point on the Earth's surface from the center. The height of the giant is as much as 6310 meters. It is located in Ecuador and is part of the Andes. He showed his last activity a very long time ago, one and a half thousand years ago. There are about 14 glaciers on the slopes and peaks of Chimborazo. This is a huge supply of pure water, which helps the locals a lot.
Beautiful, but feared by people of all time, the highest volcanoes in the world, with their majestic and dangerous appearance, have always attracted close interest, which was mixed with superstitious horror. These fire-breathing mountains, close to heaven itself, deserve great respect.
