Pompeii
Ideal: Ideal for ancient history, archaeology, open-air museums, and trips around Naples.
The AD 79 Vesuvius eruption buried the city under 4–6 metres of pumice and ash; population is estimated at around 11,000, and more than 1,100 bodies have been found in the ruins to date. The famous body casts emerged when archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli poured plaster into voids left by decomposed bodies in 1863. A third of the 44-hectare site remains unexcavated. Charred loaves in ovens, election posters on walls, and obscene graffiti still stand as they were.
Quick facts
- Built
- 6th century BC
- Area
- 98.1 hectares
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Did you know?
Are the human figures at Pompeii real bodies?
They are plaster casts, not the bodies themselves. As the ash hardened and the bodies decayed, human-shaped voids were left; from 1863 plaster was poured into these cavities, reproducing the victims' final moments.
How much of the city is still buried?
Roughly a third has deliberately been left unexcavated, so that future, better techniques can be used — and because maintaining the already exposed areas is difficult enough.
What were the raised stones in the streets for?
They were pedestrian crossings. Streets also carried waste water, so people stepped across on these blocks while carts — built to a standard axle width — rolled through the gaps between them.
Why go?
- To see ancient Roman daily life in situ
- To explore streets and buildings preserved by the Vesuvius disaster
- To add a strong history stop to a Naples or Amalfi route
Travel tip
The site is large and open; in summer bring a hat, water, and comfortable shoes.
