★ UNESCO
World Heritage ◈ hidden gem
World Heritage ◈ hidden gem
📷 Jiří Dočkal · Pexels
Where in the world
Italy
The site
Herculaneum is an ancient Roman town in Campania, Italy, buried under a massive pyroclastic flow when Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. Unlike nearby Pompeii, its searing volcanic material carbonized and preserved wooden roofs, beds and doors along with food and papyrus, making it one of the best-preserved Roman cities. First uncovered in 1709, it still yields only a fraction of its buried extent and draws over half a million visitors a year.
Field notes
- civilizations
- Roman
- types
- City
- occupied
- 600 BCE — 79 CE
- visitors
- 563,165 / year
- country
- Italy
See it in 3D
Notable finds
Renowned pieces unearthed at Herculaneum — and where they are today
Figures of this place
Laid to rest, born or died at Herculaneum
P†
Philodemusdied here1st-century BC Greek Epicurean philosopher and poetTD†
Titus Didiusdied hereconsul 98 BCMonuments & structures
What stands within Herculaneum
archaeological siteVilla of the Papyri
archaeological siteCollege of the Augustales (Herculaneum)
ancient Roman structureTerme Suburbane
ruinsCasa dell'Albergo
domusSamnite House
domusHouse of the Deer, Herculaneum
domusHouse of the Relief of Telephus
civil basilicaAugusteum, so-called Basilica
ruinsHouse of the Mosaic Atrium
domusCasa del Bicentenario
domusNettuno and Anfitrite domus
domusCasa del Bel cortile
ruinsAlcove house
ruinsHouse of Argus
ruinshouse of the Corinthian atrium
ruinsCasa della Gemma (Herculaneum)
domusCasa del Sacello di Legno
domusAristides' house
civil basilicaBasilica Noniana
sports venuePalestra
altarTerrace and altar of M. Nonius Balbus
Pictured through the ages
Artworks that portray Herculaneum
Chronicle
What happened at Herculaneum
- 79 CEeruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79
