Herculaneum, Naples

Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius.

Visiting Herculaneum is much simpler than Pompeii because it is much smaller, but never-the-less, just as fascinating and in some respects more so. In Herculaneum you can more easily see the physical effects of the eruption, the charred wood doors and windows and the massive amount of material that buried the site. Some buildings are still standing not only on the ground floor but up to the floor above.

Pictures were taken on June 19, 2011

Herculaneum from top

Hall of the Augustals

Forum bath house

House of the Corinthian Atrium

Boat houses, where archaeologists discovered 250 skeletons huddled close together.

Scavi di Pompei, Naples

Pompeii, a city buried from the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD,
is considered by many as one of the top archaeological sites in the world.
It was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1749 .

Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight

into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire.

Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy,

with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.

A walk through this city feels like a journey to the past, and one would need to be there in its surroundings

to believe that this place was once a thriving city of buildings and homes. 

Pompeii's necropolis and Porta Nocera, the southeastern gate of the city.

Great Theater

 Small Theater

Gladiators' Barracks

 A penis pointer embedded on the streets, pointing to the brothels(Lupanare)

Appearantly, Pompeii had 34 brothels that have been uncovered so far. Wow... lol

Erotic frescoes in Lupanare

Some body casts in Macellum(Indoor market)

The forum, from where the Temple of Jupiter stands.

More body casts,

Basilica

The Temple of Apollo, the most ancient sanctuary in Pompeii

Mt Vesuvius on the background.

Villa dei Misteri

Beautiful frescos in House of Venus

House of Octavius Quartio

Lares in the House of Octavius

The Amphitheatre

Planning to visit Pompeii in Summer???
Stay cool and hydrated