The discovery of Pompeii in 1763 caused a great stir among lovers of antiquities of that time. They were facing one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history that has fascinated entire generations throughout the centuries.
The catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 wiped three Roman cities off the map which were in full swing and took the lives of most of its inhabitants. It is ironic, therefore, that such a tragedy has made possible the good conservation of a Roman villa and has allowed us to know with great precision what life was like in this civilization. To visit it is to enter the Roman Empire and, from there, everyone can let their imagination run wild ...
The discovery of Pompeii
In 62 AD Pompeii had been hit by an earthquake and was in a reconstruction phase when it suffered the deadly volcanic eruption of 79 AD. Throughout the years the memory of the existence of ancient ruins in the area was kept, but it was not until the XNUMXth century when Carlos III of Spain and Naples commissioned a Spanish military engineer to begin the excavations.
Unlike Herculaneum, Pompeii had been covered by a much less thick layer of volcanic ash solidified so that access to the ruins was much easier from the beginning.
Soon the town of Cicero, the estate of Julia Felix, the Great Theater, the Odeon, the town of Diomedes and the temple of Isis were discovered. The anticipation for the findings spread throughout Europe and a great number of scholars began to arrive at Pompeii to contemplate the ruins of this legendary city.
Starting in 1860, with Giuseppe Fiorelli, an archaeological methodology was followed that can now be considered modern. Was he who began the technique of the famous plaster casts to obtain the silhouettes of the victims of the disaster. What's more. decided to authorize access to the excavations to everyone upon payment of an entrance fee. If until then only the upper class had obtained permission to access the ruins, now any citizen could walk the streets of ancient Pompeii.
At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Pompeii's fame increased thanks to the mass media and the continuous flow of annual visitors, while archaeological campaigns continued.
Under the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, the city was seen as a display of the former glory of Italy and the authorities allocated large funds to the excavation work. Thanks to this, the discoveries occurred, such as that of the Villa de los Misterios or the Menandro house between 1926 and 1932.
Since the sixties, three new houses have been unearthed: those of Fabio Rufo, Julio Polibio and the Castos Amantes. Even so, at present, a third of the deposit has not yet seen the light. Nevertheless, perhaps the biggest challenge for archaeologists is the conservation of the already discovered ruins, something that is especially arduous in the conditions of the current economic crisis.
Touring Pompeii
The visit to Pompeii can last a whole day well there is much to see. It is convenient to read a little about the history of Pompeii and the different sites open to the public to know which ones we are most interested in visiting. We especially recommend:
- The Forum: center of the political, religious and economic life of the city.
- The Basilica: seat of the administration of justice.
- The Temple of Apollo: the most important religious building in Pompeii.
- El Lupanar: a building divided into two floors and intended for the prostitution of Greek and Oriental slaves.
- The Stabian Baths: they date from the XNUMXth century BC and are the oldest in the town. They were divided into a female and a male area. They had different pools and a sophisticated heating system.
- La Casa del Fauno: This is a huge residence with different rooms beautifully decorated and well preserved.
- The Grande and Piccolo Theaters: dedicated to the leisure of the people of Pompeii, they are in very good condition.
- Orto dei Fuggiaschi: in this orchard, several people were surprised by the fury of the volcano, who tried to take shelter in this house and ended up dying asphyxiated. The casts of their corpses remain there to bear witness to the last moments of life of these Pompeians.
The entrance to Pompeii costs approximately 11 euros although if in your visit you want to include the other neighboring sites (Herculaneum, Stabia, Oplontis and Bosco Reale) there is a global ticket that costs 20 euros.
Hours: Pompeii can be visited every day from April to October from 8:30 a.m. to 19:30 p.m. and from November to March until 17:00 p.m.
The conservation of Pompeii
Every year almost three million tourists visit Pompeii, something positive because it leaves a lot of money but also risky because the archaeological site has suffered in recent years what is known as "The second destruction of Pompeii."
Due to the incessant landslides, constant robberies, staff strikes, mismanagement and the shadow of the Camorra, it was doubted that the city managed to maintain the recognition of A World Heritage Site that Unesco awarded it in 1997.
A problem that they have solved with the installation of video surveillance systems and the hiring of forty new guards within the framework of the so-called "Great Pompeii Project", a conservation plan co-financed by the European Union, which, after having been at risk of being suspended , it has been extended until 2017. Two years more than originally planned.
Restoration work has allowed the rehabilitation of six domus and they have restored color to the mythological images that adorn its walls. The marble floors and the two-color mosaics in the center of the rooms also shine more brightly.
However, the challenge now is to complete the restoration in 2017 to later maintain the deposit in the best conditions, favor accessibility and develop a new website.