Published On: Mon, Jan 29th, 2024

The ancient but perfectly preserved ruins just 11 miles from Pompeii | Travel News | Travel


These ancient ruins are much less heard of than their more famous neighbour Pompeii but are said to be better preserved.

At around midday on 24 August 79 AD, a volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, near Naples in Italy, caused devastation as the city of Pompeii was left buried underneath several metres of volcanic ash.

But while these ruins have been well documented, another town was also lost in the catastrophic eruption that claimed thousands of lives.

Herculaneum – just 11 miles away from Pompeii – was home to between 4,000 and 5,000 people when the eruption hit.

It was said to be a popular coastal resort for the wealthy, with one of the largest villas thought to have been owned by Julius Caesar’s father-in-law.

These ruins are said to be better preserved than Pompeii, with the city covered in pyroclastic flow and then heavy mud that measured around 15 metres deep.

The conditions meant a lot of items were able to survive the devastation. The city was found by accident in 1783 when diggers found ruins of the ancient theatre.

Excavations of the Villa of the Papyri took place between 1750 and 1765 on the orders of King Charles VII of Naples, and the team found around 1,800 papyrus scrolls. This is thought to be the only surviving library of the period.

There was a relatively low number of bodies found initially, but the discovery of around 300 skeletons close to the shoreline in the 1980s suggested some had tried to escape via the sea.

Pompeii has become a popular site for tourists visiting the area, with tours showing travellers around the ruins. But for those looking for something less busy and more well preserved, Herculaneum is said to be a great alternative.

With both areas located just a 20 minute drive from each other, many tourists choose to do both sites in one day.

The Archaeological Park of Herculaneum is the official name for the ruins, which is open year round. For those staying in Rome or Naples, there are plenty of day tours on offer with guides.

Or for those hoping to explore the site themselves, there are options for audio guided tours or to walk around solo.



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