The Hundred Horse Chestnut
In Sicily, Italy there lives a tree known worldwide for its size and age. The tree is a Sweet Chestnut Tree, a cousin of the American Chestnut Tree.
The tree is so large that a few hundred years ago, it provided shelter for the Queen of Naples and 100 knights during a thunderstorm. For this reason, it was named the Hundred Horse Chestnut. The tree’s girth was recorded at being 190 feet - awarding it the title of “Greatest Tree Girth Ever” by the Guinness World Records and making it the largest known Chestnut Tree in the world.
The Hundred Horse Chestnut tree is not only the largest known Chestnut tree, it is also believed to be the oldest. Botanists estimate the Hundred Horse Chestnut is somewhere between 2,000 – 4,000 years old. Not every part of the tree is that ancient, though. The tree’s fiery volcano neighbor, Mount Etna, has burned parts of it over the years, causing new parts to grow.
The tree has dealt with other difficulties as well. At one point, someone built a house in it. But, despite the numerous adversaries, the strong Chestnut perseveres and continues to be a favorite tourist attraction.