Article : Trevor Claringbold
Photos : Trevor Claringbold
               & Natalia Kolesnikova

The very mention of Pompeii can conjure up all kinds of images. It depends very much on
your understanding of the events that befell that ill-fated city. In truth, most thoughts
probably fall well outside the reality, but a visit to the site itself will at least put many
misconceptions to rest.

Pompeii is unique. An emotive, three-dimensional time capsule of life in a well-off, and
important, Roman city. It was a thriving trading centre, close to the bay of Naples, with
many high-status houses & public buildings. The 20,000 inhabitants had already suffered
at the hands of mother nature just 16 years before the fateful volcano, when a powerful
earthquake had destroyed much of the city. Then in 79AD, after days of throwing ash &
smoke out into the air, Mount Vesuvius finally erupted.

Many of the population had already left, but around 2000 are thought to have remained.
They perished as the poisonous fumes from the volcanic debris smothered Pompeii, and a
deep layer of ash and pumice covered all but the
tallest buildings.

Finding your way around isn’t too difficult once
you have worked out the grid of the main roads.
It’s worth picking up a map from ticket office,
though, as its easy to miss some of the less
obvious places of interest hidden in the maze of
smaller streets.

You really should set aside a whole day, as to try
and see Pompeii in less can be frustrating. Okay,
it’s possible to walk around the main sights in half
a day, but the most rewarding aspect of a visit is
to experience what it was like to have lived here
2000 years ago, and the best way to do that is to
understand each place as you pass. Allow yourself
to create pictures in you mind of how it was back
then – almost like wandering through your own
historical scenario.

Such is the wealth of detail that’s still easy to
see, this is not a difficult thing to do. Imagine the
bustle of activity around the busy shops, selling
things from the large pots that are still in place
today. In the once well-to-do area where many
of the high status homes were, is the Casa del
Fauno, where a mosaic by the entrance says
‘welcome’, and inside there is still a small statue
of a Faun. (Actually it’s a copy, as the original,
like many artefacts from both Pompeii and the
surrounding area, are in a Naples museum).

Of course, there are also many reminders of the tragedy that befell the people here. Next
to the huge and largely intact amphitheatre there is an area that was apparently used as
a kind of recreation ground – even with a swimming pool. When it was first excavated,
the archaeologists found the skeletons of many young men huddled in the corner. It’s
believed that they must have been using the area at the exact moment when the volcano
erupted, and that the devastation was so rapid they
had no time to escape.

One of the most impressive parts of the city is the
Forum, situated at one of the principal intersections
in the city. Quite apart from the array of important
buildings that surround it, such as the temples, the
main market, and a basilica, it’s a perfect place to
just pause and think.

Stand in the main square, and look along the length
of the grassy Foro. This was the heart of a busy,
prosperous, and powerful Roman city. But in the
background, the dark and infinitely more powerful
shape of Mount Vesuvius gazes menacingly down on its most famous victim. Stand for a
moment, lost in time, and wonder what you would have done if you had been here when
the mountain erupted. The answer is never pleasant.

There is so much to witness here, in so many different ways. From a clinically historical
point of view, it’s the most complete Roman city still in existence. And that’s without the
considerable amount of it that is yet to be excavated. It reveals so much about the way
everyday citizens lived at that time, and how a city of this size functioned.

But without a doubt, unless your heart is as hard as the stone from the mountain itself,
you’ll find this an emotional place to visit. No matter how many times you see them, the
numerous haunting stone casts around the site, showing actual inhabitants in the very
positions in which they died, always leaves a lasting impression.

If time allows, its also possible to take a walk (or a bus for most of the way) to the top
of the volcano. The view from the edge of the crater looking back down to the stricken
city gives you a whole different perspective. For a start, it doesn’t look so far, and it’s
much easier to imagine the speed with which the deadly output from the mountain hit the
doomed population. On a more pleasant side, it also has fantastic views across the
surrounding countryside, and out into the Bay of Naples.

Above all, Pompeii is not just another historical site. It was a real city with real people, &
somewhere everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. If the experts are right,
Vesuvius is overdue for another major eruption… so you shouldn’t leave it too long before
making your trip!

Pompeii Opening Times:
1st Nov - 31st Mar - Daily 0830-1700 (last admission 1530)
1st Apr - 31st Oct  - Daily 0830-1930 (last admission 1800)
Closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan.

Pompeii Visitors Centre, Via Satra 1, CAP 80045, Pompeii.
Tel: (081) 850 7255  
If you’re planning to visit Herculanium too, buy a
Combined ticket for both places, as it will give you
a considerable saving.

Our Choice of Hotels
Hotel Forum,
Via Roma 99,
Pompeii.   
+39 81 850 1170       
 www.hotelforum.it












Our Choice of Restaurant
Ristorante President,
Piazza Schettini 12,
Pompeii.  
+39 81 850 7245   
www.ristorantepresident.com

More photos below...