Pompeii And Mount Vesuvius

by Pompeii Tours on April 16, 2010

Mount Vesuvius or Vesuvio, the volcano near Naples, is an interesting place to explore. The ash from the eruption preserved the town as if frozen in time, providing a fascinating look into Italy’s past. By touring Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius you can explore the partially buried town-city of Pompeii and climb to the summit of the volcano that caused its demise.

Table of Contents

Pliny The Younger
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Pompeii
Mount Vesuvius What Happened ?
Mt Vesuvius Active Volcano
Mt Vesuvius Wikipedia
Pompeii Eruption Mount Vesuvius
Pompeii Volcanoes
Pompeii and Herculaneum Italy

Pliny The Younger Mt Vesuvius

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Many contemporary sculptures are described and discussed by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia published in 77 AD. This volcanic eruption is the first to be described in detail. The letter-writing Pliny the Younger was stationed about 18 miles away in Misenum from which vantage point he could see the eruption and feel the preceding earthquakes. Pliny’s uncle, the naturalist Pliny the Elder, was in charge of area warships, but he turned his fleet to rescuing residents and died.

Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Pompeii

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Mt. Vesuvius is a characteristic polygenic mixed volcano, meaning that it is constituted by lava of various chemical compositions. When you finally reach the edge of the crater, you will be astonished at its size.

Mount Vesuvius What Happened ??

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Following the AD79 eruption, the people and buildings of Pompeii were covered in up to twelve other layers of soil. The eruption was documented by contemporary historians and is generally accepted as having started on 24 August 79, relying on one version of the text of Pliny’s letter. Unearthed after being buried in ash by the 79 CE eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii is a fascinating archeological site.

Mt Vesuvius Active Volcano

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Inside the crater itself, it is plausible to see glimpses of steam rising from the side of the crater demonstrating that Mt Vesuvius is an active volcano. The last time Vesuvius erupted was in 1944. Since this time “HE” has remained dormant.

Mt Vesuvius Wikipedia

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The eruption of 1906 was particularly destructive, killing over 100 people and ejecting the most lava ever recorded from a Vesuvian eruption.
While Vesuvius is not thought likely to erupt in the immediate future, the danger posed by future eruptions is seen as very high in light of the volcano’s tendency towards sudden, extremely violent explosions, and the very dense human population on and around the mountain. Vesuvius is in the Campania (Compania Map) region of Italy, known for its relaxing food, in part because of the fertile soil of the slopes of Vesuvius. To go to Vesuvius, you must access the National Park (Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio). The park is open from 9:00 A. M. until 3:00 P. M. in the winter. From April through June, the park stays open until 5:00 P. M., and from July to September 30, you can visit the following website the crater until 6:30 P. M. Admission to the last part of the crater trail is Euro 6.50. The song “Cities In Dust” by Siouxsie and the Banshees is a reference to the destruction of Pompeii.

Pompeii Eruption Mount Vesuvius

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Mt Vesuvius is the only volcano on mainland Europe to have erupted within the last hundred years. Mt. Vesuvius is a volcano that erupted on August 24 A.D.79 blanketing the towns and 1000s of residents of Pompeii, Stabiae, and Herculaneum. In an eruption a column of various materials (called tephra) is ejected into the atmosphere, creating what looks like a mushroom cloud or, perhaps a pine tree as it was described by Pliny.

Pompeii Volcanoes

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But the archeological excavations of Pompeii suggest that the city was buried about two months later; this is supported by another version of the letter which gives the date of the eruption as November 23. A busy commercial centre with a population of 10,000-20,000, the ancient Pompeii covered about 160 acres on the seaward end of the fertile Sarno Plain. Pompei’s streets are straight and laid out in a grid, in the purest Roman tradition; they are laid with polygonal stones, and have houses and shops on both sides of the street. Pompeii was captured for the first time by the Greek colony of Cumae, allied with Syracuse, between 525 and 474 BC.

Pompeii and Herculaneum Italy

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Herculaneum was properly rediscovered in 1738 by workmen digging for the foundations of a summer palace for the King of Naples, Charles of Bourbon. Both Pompeii and Herculaneum have since been excavated to reveal many intact buildings and wall paintings. Along with Herculaneum, its sister city, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD.

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