Sant'Alfio, a small town in the province of Catania, under the smoke of the Etna volcano, would go unnoticed if not had a historical monument in the majestic tree that is located just outside the center of the village. This immense chestnut tree has been growing there for at least two thousand years or maybe four thousand. Botanical experts fail to agree on this data.

The tree is considered the oldest in Europe and the largest in Italy and in 1965 it was declared a national monument. It is very large, its height reaches 28 meters and the circumference is 52 meters. To protect him, since his health is rather precarious, he was fenced off.

Its green hair in summer is beautiful and must be a painting full of spectacular colors in autumn. Numerous famous painters portrayed it in all seasons of the year. Poets described its beauty and local songwriters dedicated their songs to its dense foliage and its history. The name 'Chestnut of the Hundred Horses' comes from a legend that has always been told: 'A long time ago there was a queen named Joan of Aragon .

The queen lived in Spain but had to go to Naples. He took his ship, landed in Sicily and set on the road with all his sequel. The queen wanted to visit Mount Etna, the famous volcano, and the whole procession made a detour towards the mountain. At one point the Queen and her knights, who were more than a hundred, found themselves surprisingly in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm. They absolutely needed shelter and in the vicinity they saw a very large tree.