There is a city in New Zealand built right in a volcano

There’s a city in the North Island of New Zealand that’s been built right in a volcano. It’s called Rotorua and it’s quite fascinating.

According to Mark Fraser, a professional guide in Rotorua’s Hell’s Gate, “We’re in a volcano, a sunken volcano and we’re also sitting on top of a geothermal field. All the hills that surround Rotorua are the outer walls of the volcanic caldera.”

Rotorua is in the North Island of New Zealand

This is how Rotorua came about: When a super volcano in the Taupo region of New Zealand erupted, a huge crater aka caldera was formed. As time passed by, water filled up this caldera and soon, the city of Rotorua was established.

Kara David recently visited Rotorua and created a documentary for “I-Witness”, where she brought viewers to many of Rotorua’s marvels. There’s the Te Puia Geothermal Valley – famous for housing one of the biggest geysirs in the world.

Geysirs are like water volcanos; instead of lava, they spew out steam.  There are six geysirs in Te Puia, the most famous of which is the Pohutu Geysir, which spews out water and steam every 60 minutes.

Rotorua has been home to the Maoris, natives of New Zealand, since the 1300s. As such, there is a lot of Maori culture to be seen and experienced here – from architecture, to food, to the famous Haka dance, and their penchant for mud pools – which are all defined and informed by the volcanic activity of their area.

There are six geysirs in the Te Puia valley of Rotorua

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Among the mud pools that David visited are those in Hell’s Gate, an area composed of mud pools with varying degrees of temperature and sulfur composition, which Maoiris believe is good for wounds and skin wellness.

Roturua, thanks to its many mud pools and spas, has become something of a destination for medical tourism. “The Maori have used the hot waters and the mud for 500 years for ailments nad treatments. The spas, they were opened in 1863  for treatment, and people from all over the world come here for treatment for arthritis, rheumatism, even cirrhosis,” continues Fraser.

These days, New Zealand is also using a lot of geothermal energy, an alternative source of energy to heat homes and offices throughout the country.

How amazing is that, yes? — LA, GMA News