"Pompeii" Pompeii by Erin74

Pompeii was once a thriving merchant town located in a beautiful setting on the western coast of Italy. In 79 A.D. the neighboring volcano Mt. Vesuvius, erupted and buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. A blanket of ash fifteen to twenty feet deep descended on the area. Pompeii's people and magnificent buildings were destroyed.

For hundreds of years the city was buried under ash. When an excavation finally began in 1595, the remains of about 2,000 people were found encased in ash. The remnants of the city were then heavily looted and left uncovered and neglected. Modern excavations have restored the city and you can now take tours of the area.

A map of Pompeii

Visiting Pompeii is at once fascinating and strange. It's clear that this was a grand and thriving city in its day. Seeing it empty and frozen in time is haunting. I arrived at Pompeii late in the day, when most of the tourists had left. Pompeii's streets were quiet and deserted. I took a brief but highly enjoyable walk through the ruined streets of the city. This was one of the most memorable moments of my trip to Italy.