Pompeii is a city known all around the world as a place of destruction and ruins. Although it is both of those things, nobody seems to talk about all the life that exists there today. When you walk through the excavated city there is life all around you. Whether that be the objects that were rediscovered by archaeologists, the beautiful flowers growing throughout the ruins or the people who still inhabit the surrounding town.
Background on the City
In case you didn’t know, Pompeii is an ancient Roman city that was buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash when the volcano, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted in 79 A.D. Thousands of people failed to evacuate and were killed. Their bodies and belongings were left, frozen in time.
The city remained untouched until 1748, according to Ancient History. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/pompeii
During my tour of the ruins our guide, Stefano, our tour guide, explained that no one wanted to return to Pompeii because they thought that the Gods destroyed it for a reason and touching the ruins would only do them harm. According to Degreed, the damage was so extensive that nobody attempted to rebuild the city after the natural disaster. Eventually, looters made their way to Pompeii. They dug through the ash and took many of the ancient cities valuables.
When a group of explorers began to dig around Pompeii they discovered that it was mainly intact. In fact, it was almost precisely the same as it had been before the eruption took place 2,000 years before. “The ashes acted as a layer of protection and preserved the artifacts, skeletons and buildings,” Stefano said.
At the time of the eruption Pompeii supported between 10,000 and 20,000 individuals. Now the surrounding town supports around 25,000 people, according to Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Pompeii
Excavations started hundreds of years ago and they are still going on today. Stefano told us that it took archeologists about three weeks to uncover only a foot of new ground. All of the buildings and artifacts that have already been recovered have shown us a glimpse into what life used to be like in the ancient city. More than 1,000 casts have been made of recovered bodies that were preserved in the ash and some are on display at the ruins. They placed some of the bodies in the exact location and position that they were discovered in. It is daunting to see men, woman, children and even dogs frozen in time.
The City Today
The fee to enter Pompeii is 11 euro and they only accept cash. The ticket office does not accept credit cards, according to Walks of Italy. https://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/pompeii/guide-visiting-pompeii
You can also buy tickets online that allow you to skip the line for around twenty Euros, according to Tiqets. https://www.tiqets.com/en/naples-c71720/pompeii-skip-the-line-p974390?bw=1&partner=pompeionline
Pompeii is an extremely popular stop and is accessible to reach from most major surrounding cities by train, car or bus. There are close to 3 million visitors every year.
When you first get to the ruins, before you enter, there are restaurants and pop up that shops sell souvenirs. There are people everywhere partaking in the tourist attraction. When you enter it is a short walk until you reach a square within the ruins where gladiators used to train for their fights. The second you walk in you are immediately transformed into what life could have been like for the inhabitants of Pompeii prior to the eruption. You look around and you can only imagine what went on among those four walls. The town is like a maze. There are so many nooks and crannies to get lost in. There are so many stories to be told. It is fascinating that something so destructive had the ability to preserve so much history.
It is quite amazing how interactive you are allowed to be when visiting the city. You can wander through the houses, showers, restaurants, and piazzas all on your own. You can sit in the very amphitheater where shows and gladiator fights took place thousands of years ago. The amphitheater has actually been used for special concerts. In 1972, Pink Floyd made a music video played in the theater. Stefano was explaining to us that even though the theater is not fully intact, the acoustics are still incredible. He counted to three and had our whole tour group clap in unison, the sound echoed throughout the entire stadium.
When you think of Pompeii I’m sure dust, ash, and a town that has fallen to pieces comes to mind. When I arrived I was blown away by the greenery, flowers, reconstructed marble and artwork that thrives all throughout the grounds. It is a miracle that so much time has gone by and yet you can still see the murals painted by ancient Romans.
So much was lost in this horrific disaster yet we can’t help but be grateful that we have the resources to restore and uncover as much as we can. There are people that work around the clock to ensure that the victims and the cities stories remain alive.
The Future of Pompeii
The government offered to pay residents that still live close to Mt. Vesuvius money to relocate to a new area but few accepted the offer.
Mt. Vesuvius has erupted since the destruction of Pompeii but nowhere near as bad. The Vesuvious Observatory monitors the volcanoes activity on a 24 hour basis, according to Guardian Liberty Voice. https://guardianlv.com/2014/02/pompeii-mount-vesuvius-will-erupt-again/
They now do everything they can to maintain life in and around Pompeii. They will, hopefully, be prepared for an immediate evacuation in the chances that Mt. Vesuvius tries to strike again. The ruins of Pompeii are extraordinary and we are lucky to have the opportunity to learn from them. If you ever get the chance, take some time and head to Pompeii. It is more astounding than you can even imagine.
Tip: I recommend that you give yourself a few hours to get the most out of your experience. The grounds are large and there is a lot to see. I also suggest getting a tour guide. The ruins are so vast and full of historical information, it is extremely helpful and interesting to know what you are looking at when you walk around.