Turist guide to visit Pompeii in Italy

POMPEII

A LITTLE HISTORY

Pompei, one the Campanian towns buried by the Vesuvius eruption of 79 A.D. is the supreme example of the large scale evocation of the past and had provided the foundation of our by courtesy of Mr Nikolay Tatarchuck
knowledge of the domestic life of the ancients. Here we see the reater part of the town as it was when disaster overtook it 1900 years ago.The streets were paved in the Roman period with large polygonal blocks of vesuvian lava and are bordered by curbed foot pavements. In nearly all the roadways, at regular intervals are stepping stones for pedestrians. These stones did not interfere with the heavy vehicles, which have left deep ruts in the roadway.Archaeologists have devised a street plan, which divides the town into nine regions. These generally consist of a group of dwellings but may be wholly occupied by one building. The dwellings at Pompei exemplify the evolution
by courtesy of Mr Nikolay Tatarchuck
of domestic architecture from the italic model of the 4th and 3rd century B.C. to the Roman Empire of the 1st century A.D.The main feature of Pompeian house was the "Atrium" or interior court, with the entrance to the Tablinum" or living room at the opposite side, where the family dined and received their guests. to the right and left were "Cubicola" or bedrooms and the "Cellae" used for various purposes. Among the most striking attractions of Pompei are the frescoes painted on its stucco-covered walls. The colors are very vivid, red and yellow predominating.The excavation may be entered either on the South by Porta Marina, or on the North by Porta Nolana- At least 4 hours are necessary for an adequate visit. Luncheon may be obtained at the local "Posto di Ristoro". In hot weather the absence of shade is noticeable. Flat, comfortable shoes are the most appropriate for the uneven streets.For a better view of the town of Pompei, topographic chart is recommended; for more comprehensive knowledge, a local official guide is suggested.Open to the public: Daily from 9:00 a.m. until one hour before sunset. Cost is Lit 16,000 per person.SUGGESTED TOURFrom the Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri station of the Circumvesuviana Railway it is only a short stroll to the main entrance of the excavations at Porta Marina. Just follow the crowds. Before entering, you might want to purchase an illustrated guidebook in English to help identify the sights. Once inside you can, if you wish, engage the services of an authorized guide who will take you and probably several other English-speaking people around on a tour lasting about one hour. These usually cover only the highlights nearest the entrance, but are useful as an introduction before seeing the rest of the digs on your own. They also have the advantage of pointing out some little-known features, such as the racy frescoes hidden behind cloth drapes.The do-it-yourself tour outlined below leads you to all of the favorite attractions, as well as some that are not so well known. Pass through the arches of the Porta Marina gate and walk uphill. To your right are the ruins of the Basilica, the largest building in Pompeii, which once held law courts and business offices and may date from about 120 B.C.The front of the Basilica opens onto the Forum, the civic center around which were grouped important public buildings. On its western side is the Temple of Apollo, built in the 3rd century B.C., and just north of that the Horreum, a shop probably selling grain, which is now used as a deposit for archaeological finds. The Temple of Jupiter, from the 2nd century B.C., doses off the northern side of the huge square. It was dedicated to Juno, Minerva, and Jupiter.On the eastern side of the Forum is the Building of Eumachia, a wool market with a beautifully decorated doorway. Next to this is the Temple of Vespasian, dedicated to the worship of the emperor, which has an interesting altar depicting the scene of a sacrifice. Finally, there is the Macellum, a large covered market.Leave the Forum by its northern end and pass the modern restaurant-cafeteria, which also has souvenir shops and restrooms. On the right is the Temple of Fortuna Augusta, erected in A.D. 3 as a place to worship the emperor Augustus. Adjoining the restaurant are the Forum Baths, parts of which are in good condition. Step inside to see the rather elegant marble washbasin whose bronze letters proclaim the names of those who paid for it-along with the price.A left on Via delle Terme brings you to the House of the Tragic Poet, a nice middle-class dwelling named after a mosaic found in it but now in the Naples Museum, where many of Pompeii's movable treasures are on display. The entrance floor has a mosaic of a dog with the words Cave Canem (Beware of the Dog). You will find stray dogs all over Pompeii, and could reasonably conclude that they are reincarnations of ancient Romans, paying for the sins of their past. The enormous house next to this, the Casa di Pansa, dates from the Samnite age and was divided into small rental apartments.Now turn around and follow Via della Fortuna to the noted House of the Faun, a luxurious home-one of the best in the Roman world-which is reputed to have belonged to the nephew of the 2nd-century-B.C. dictator Sulla. Its magnificent bronze statute of a faun is a copy-the original is in Naples-. Return to Via di Mercurio and turn right to the House of the Large Fountain, whose main feature is-you guessed it-a large fountain. This has some wonderful Egyptian-style mosaics in colored glass.Possibly the most famous dwelling in town is the House of the Vetti, which might also be called the House of the Dirty Pictures. The fabulous wall decorations reflect the sophisticated task of its wealthy owners and were the height of fashion in the last ten years of Pompeii's existenceThe notorious obscene statue near the entrance and the pornographic frescoes in one of the rooms may be covered, but you can ask the guard for a peek.Nearby, on Via del Vesuvio, is the House of the Golden Cupids, possibly owned by a relative of Nero. Its splendid interior is in excellent condition. Continue on past the Bakeries and Mills on Vico Storto and follow the map to the ten-bed Brothel on Vicolo del Lupanare. The wall pictures here advertise the various services that used to be availableJust a few steps away are the Stabian Baths, the oldest in Pompeii, probably begun in the 4th century B.C. The extremely well preserved interior should not be missed. You are now on the Via dell' Abbondanza, a largely commercial street stretching from the Forum to the eastern end of town. Some of its buildings are decorated with fascinating graffiti. Note the groove marks left in the pavement by heavy wagon wheels, and the stepping-stones for crossing the street, which also served as a storm sewer.Continue on past the Fullonica Stephani, a well-preserved laundry, and the snack bar which, judging from the graffiti, also served girls along with wine and prepared food. Farther down the main road is the House of Loreius Tibertinue, also known as the Casa di Octavius Quartio, another rich house in a fine state of repair. A block beyond it is the Villa of Julia Felix, which has been restored and certainly merits a visit.Every Roman town of any importance had an arena, but the Amphitheater of Pompeii, built in 80 B.C., is the oldest one known to exist. It is still in splendid condition. Next to it is the Palestra, a training ground for athletes.Return to Via dell' Abbondanza and retrace your steps as far as the Casa del Criptoportico, whose underground passages were used for wine storage. When Vesuvious erupted, several people took refuge there, but were buried alive as they tried to escape. Plaster casts of the void left by their bodies may be seen in the crypt. To the south of this is the great House of Menander, an elegant and richly decorated villa which is among the best-preserved in town.The route now leads to the Small Theater, dating from the earliest Roman colonization. Next to it is the Large Theater, accommodating 5,000 spectators. Originally from the 5th century B.C., it was rebuilt in the 1st century A.D. On its north side is the Temple of Isis, curiously dedicated to an Egyptian goddess, while to the south is the Court of the Gladiators, built as a refuge for tired audiences during the long theatrical performances. It was later used as a barracks for gladiators. To the west side of the theater complex is the Triangular Forum, whose tiny temple may date from the 6th century B.C.One more major sight remains to be seen, and that is outside the excavation site proper-although the same entrance ticket is valid. If the Porta Ercolano gate, in the northwest corner, is open you can get there by going through it. Otherwise return to the Porta Marina gate and follow around past the train station to the fabulous but seldom visited Villa of the Mysteries. Once the suburban home of a wealthy couple, it is famous for its frescoes depicting the initiation of a bride into the mysteries of the secret cult of Dionysus. These are in a room to the right of the entrance, and are well worth the walk.