Two natural, dark grey columns rise from the blue sea, in a scenery of promontories, coves and cliffs. The Colonne di Carloforte, standing in the southern part of the island of San Pietro, owe their name to their impressive, tall shapes, modelled by the wind and sea. Up until 2010 they were both 16 metres tall (and originally perhaps double that). After violent storms, in particular that of November 2013, only the base of one remains. Next to them lie the barely visible remains of other, similar pillars. They are surrounded by cliffs and caves that emphasise the wild soul of the area, like the mouth of an inactive geyser. Legend has it that the two pillars of volcanic stone are of miraculous origin: one hypothesis is that the apostle Paul transformed two sea monsters into grey rock to protect the island; another tells that a pair of sailors were turned to stone by divine punishment.