The Ruins

Ruins of Pompeii

The devastating eruption of the volcano Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD, the population at that time was estimated to be of 20, 000 residents. Despite of the catastrophe and the amount of lava that poured over the city, Pompeii stands today well- preserved. This is due to the huge layer of ash that was deposited over the partial ruins and thus acted as a preserver. Particurarly interesting sites include the Amphitheatre, the thermal Baths, the House of Fauno, furthermore the most astonishing things to see are the victims who were buried under the ash , soffocated by the poisonous gases and remained locked in their death pose: Pompeii was over four times the size of Herculaneum.

Ruins of Herculaneum

Together with Pompeii, Herculaneum is a Unesco World Heritage site since 1997. The city was also destroyed by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The name comes from the legend of the demi-god Hercules who founded the city. The inhabitants of both cities enjoyed all the amenities, from baths to temples and markets and lived in a wide variety of dwellings, from luxury houses to small flats.

Oplontis

Oplontis was a seaside town located at five kilometres to the west of Pompeii. Today the site is occupied by the modern town of Torre Annunziata, right up to the feet of Mount Vesuvius. The archaeological site includes the luxurious Villa of Poppaea, which belonged to Poppaea Sabina, Emperor Nero's second wife.