Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SOUTH OF NAPLES
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Ercolano & Herculaneum
Ercolano is an uninspiring Neapolitan suburb that's home to one of Italy's best-preserved
ancient sites - Herculaneum. A superbly conserved Roman fishing town, Herculaneum is
smaller and less daunting than Pompeii, allowing you to visit without that nagging itch that
you're bound to miss something.
History
In contrast to modern Ercolano, classical Herculaneum was a peaceful fishing and port
town of about 4000 inhabitants, and something of a resort for wealthy Romans and Cam-
panians.
Herculaneum's fate paralleled that of nearby Pompeii. Destroyed by an earthquake in
AD 63, it was completely submerged in the AD 79 eruption of Mt Vesuvius. However, as it
was much closer to the volcano than Pompeii, it drowned in a 16m-thick sea of mud rather
than in the lapilli (burning pumice stone) and ash that rained down on Pompeii. This essen-
tially fossilised the town, ensuring that even delicate items, like furniture and clothing,
were remarkably well preserved when uncovered.
The town was rediscovered in 1709, and amateur excavations were carried out intermit-
tently until 1874, with many finds being carted off to Naples to decorate the houses of its
well-to-do inhabitants or to end up in museums. Serious archaeological work began again
in 1927 and continues to this day, although with much of the ancient site buried beneath
modern Ercolano, it's slow going.
Sights
Ruins of Herculaneum
RUIN
( 081 732 43 38; www.pompeiisites.org ; Corso Resina 6, Ercolano; adult/reduced €11/5.50, combined ticket incl Pom-
peii €20/10; 8.30am-7.30pm summer, to 5pm winter, last entry 90min before closing; Circumvesuviana to
Ercolano-Scavi) Unfairly upstaged by Pompeii's ancient offerings, the Ruins of Herculaneum
have a wealth of archaeological finds. Indeed, this superbly conserved Roman fishing town
 
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