|
|
|
|
Pompei
This ancient city at the foot of
Vesuvius was quite prosperous in Roman times. It was
destroyed in 79 A.C., following the famous volcanic
eruption which covered it with a layer of pumice and
ash.
The first archaeological explorations took place
towards the mid-18th century, and excavations soon began
in earnest, but not until 1860 were they conducted in an
orderly, systematic fashion.
It is thought that, to
date, about three-fifths of the ancient town has been
excavated.
Pompeii is one of the most important
archaeological sites in the world, because it provides a
complete picture of the topography and life of a Roman
town.
|
|
Walk with us through ancient streets to
visit the Villa of the Mysteries, the House of the Faun
and of the Vettii brothers.
Discover baths, basilicas,
temples, theatres, private homes, the amphitheater, even
the palestra where gladiators trained for the arena.
For those who
choose to travel with us by private car, we'll also
visit the so-called "Villa of Poppaea," the second wife
of the emperor Nero.
It is located at Oplantis, which
was a holiday resort area for the rich who had their
vast suburban villas built here in order to live in
sumptuously decorated surroundings far from the noise
and inconvenience of Pompeii. Amongst these villas
stands one whose size and rich mural decorations set it
apart from all of others.
The "Villa of Poppaea" is the
largest and most luxurious suburban villa so far brought
to light.
|
|
|
|
The town, built on an elliptical plan,
was divided by a regular network of streets intersecting
at right angles.
The houses generally had two floors,
with a garden or internal courtyard, and were decorated
by architectural coverings and paintings of fine
quality.
The Forum, a vast rectangular square, was the fulcrum of
the political, religious and economic life of the town,
and is bordered by the main public buildings.
There are two theatres: the Odeon, built
between 80-75 B.C., used for musical recitals and
mime-shows, and the Large Theatre, with seating for
5,000 spectators, which dates from the Hellenistic
period (200-150 B.C.).
The largest baths were the Stabian Baths, built in the Samnite period and
reconstructed in the Imperial period. The stucco
decoration, dating from the Flavian period, is some of
the finest surviving.
|
|
The many houses of remarkable beauty
include the House of the Vettii, one of the most
interesting examples of a rich merchant's house, while
the Villa of Mysteries is perhaps the most important
building in the whole of Pompeii.
Its most interesting
feature is a cycle of paintings dating from the 1st
century B.C. which decorate the walls of one of the
rooms in the center of the house.
Many other buildings are worth special attention. These
include: the House of Menander, the House of Loreius
Tiburtinus, the House of the Golden Cherubs, the House
of the Faun, the Villa of Diomedes and the Amphitheatre.
|
|
|
|
Essentials
GETTING THERE By Train The
Circumvesuviana Railway departs Naples every half hour
from Sorrento. A round-trip
time is 45 minutes each way. There's an entrance about
50 yards from the railway station at Villa Misteri.
By Bus At the railway station in
Pompeii, bus connections take you to the entrance to the
excavations.
By Car To reach Pompeii from Naples,
take the 13 mile drive on the autostrada to Salerno.
|
Pompei travel guides
Courtesy of Hotel Onda
Verde - Amalfi Coast
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
TangoItalia - Food Wine Travel in Italy - Home
|
