HERCULANEUM
It might be tempting to assume that Pompeii and Herculaneum would be very similar places - after all, they were both hit by the same volcanic eruption of 79AD and they are not all that far apart geographically. However, the two sites are very different in nature to visit. Herculaneum is much closer to the coast then Pompeii, and because of this some of the inhabitants were able to escape the pyroclastic explosion in boats. You can still see the skeletons of the people waiting on what was the shoreline for rescue. The really striking thing about Herculaneum is how deep underground it is, compared to the modern day buildings that have grown up around it. Before excavation, Herculaneum was buried some twenty metres underground, as opposed to only four metres at Pompeii. As you approach, you feel like you are looking down into the depths at the buildings. Herculaneum was a much wealthier town that Pompeii, and you can see this in the quality and beauty of the construction. We were lucky enough to visit on a 'free entry to monuments' day (see here for more information), although this did mean that it was much busier than it might usually have been. FIND OUT MORE |