Thus writes Giovan Giuseppe Cervera in his research presented on October 4, 1959, speaking of an unknown Ischia, the island of Tuff Stones...
"A journey through the Island, where every inch conceals a mysterious beauty. La Falanga, solitary like a monastery of friars; Sant’Angelo, the last vestige of a sunny past, the final whim of an enchanted era; Castanite, the prow of a ship atop an immense lava flow that, like a stormy sea, twists into a thousand contortions of perpetual agony; the Castle, rising like a fairy-tale landscape; the Port, which at certain times of the day resembles a magical carousel, where carriages with golden threads whirl in delirium beneath the highest tree tops, and a crowd of gesticulating people swirls around this merry-go-round of lights and colors; Matarace, where everyone stops to contemplate, rubbing their eyes to see whether this living nativity scene, nestled among the surrounding mountains like a beautiful toy among golden trinkets, is a dream or reality; the Guardiola di Testaccio, a small Ischian watchtower that scans the horizon from atop the fortress; Epomeo, which offers pure emotions at sunset; San Montano, the last hymn of nature: as you can see, we are already faced with a different way of understanding the Island—unique in its characteristic names—because this is the perspective of someone who loves the Island, who has explored it far and wide, drawing inspiration and affection from every clump of earth.
From this arises an enthusiasm for the paths, the trails, the sandy beaches, the crystal-clear transparency of the sea, THE TUFF STONES SCATTERED EVERYWHERE, the rocks that populate the waters. It is only within this setting that inanimate beings can take on life and partake in ours, merging with our daily existence as an element that embellishes, harmonizes, and continuously nourishes it. Indeed, who could deprive of such exhilaration those who live in Piscina Leggia, in PIETRA SPACCATA, in Pietra di Lacco (Pannella), in Pietra di Santa Maria, in Pietra del Turco, in Pietra di Zerrone, in Pietra Mosca, in Pietra di Tramontana, or in the Casa del Cefarotto? Who could detach from our daily lives those chimneys that peek out from the rooftops, those arches that live alongside us, those 'parracine' and 'madonnelle' that share and accompany our existence? They have almost become part of our character, standing around us as guardians of a simple and honorable way of life.
To stay on topic, let us now delve into the discovery of some of the secret beauties that Ischia reserves for those who approach it with the passion of lovers. Let us get closer to all those tuff stones scattered across the Island. There are many, with different names. Some have been transformed into homes and still preserve the warmth of a family, like Pietra Spaccata and Pietra di Cazzuoli, in Ciglio; Pietra Mosca, in Forio; Pietra di Tramontana, in Cuotto; la Pietra, in Lacco; Pietra del Turco, in Casamicciola; Pietra di Santa Maria al Monte. Others remain as cellars, like Pietra Pedrone, in Maio; Pietra di Zerrone, in Forio. Others still have been hollowed out as shelters during harsh times, containing a cistern that collects the water falling on the very stone itself, or they simply stand as stones, imposing themselves by their singular beauty…"
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