From the Summit of the Vesuvius crater to the depths of the buried city: VeLoci stops in Ercolano

: Published: 17 June 2024

The third inspection by VeLoCi involved the first officially discovered Vesuvius city, Ercolano, known as Resina until 1969.

In 1710, the accidental discovery of ancient marble fragments by farmer Ambrogio Nocerino, known as Enzechetta, attracted the attention of Prince d’Elboeuf and later Charles of Bourbon. In 1738, Charles launched a full-scale excavation campaign, uncovering the remains of the ancient city.

Our visit began at the Basilica di Santa Maria a Pugliano, located in the upper part of the village. We were welcomed by the parish priest, don Aniello Gargiulo, who showed us some fascinating documents from the historical archive and later guided us through the most significant parts of the sanctuary. Our knowledgeable guide, archaeologist Francesco Palermo, an expert in antiquities, the city's history, and the church, facilitated a discussion on the ancient artifacts and paintings preserved in the basilica.

We then proceeded to MUSA – Musei della Reggia di Portici, directed by Dr. Stefano Mazzoleni, visiting the Royal Apartments and the Herculanense Museum. Here, we experienced the evocative multimedia reinterpretation of the Bourbon museum, which housed the first collections of antiquities from the archaeological excavations of Ercolano and Pompeii. The visit was enriched with explanatory panels on the history of the excavations, fresco detachment techniques, and 18th-century literary sources from travelers and scholars.

A crucial stop was the visit to the historic Vesuvius Observatory, a site preserving important mineralogical, instrumental, and artistic collections, as well as a rich historical library. Dr. Laura Maschio guided us through the institute's halls, illustrating its history and key figures, providing valuable insights into volcanic phenomena and their geological aspects. The subsequent excursion to the Vesuvius National Park further enriched the visit, offering an integrated view of the natural dynamics and biodiversity of the area, along with a breathtaking panorama of the Vesuvius coastal area and the gulf.

he next day, equipped with helmets and torches, we explored the ancient Theater of Ercolano, recently reopened to the public, with an underground visit to the tunnels and wells excavated between the 18th and 19th centuries. This allowed us to personally experience the thrill of discovery, following in the footsteps of past visitors. The remains of the cavea and the theater structures, along with the remains of frescoes and artifacts still in situ, left us in awe and prepared us for the visit to the rest of the Archaeological Park of Ercolano. Here, we delved among decumani, insulae, houses, baths and temples with Dr. Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, former EU ambassador, and Claudio Procaccini, former architect of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the Municipality of Naples. We congratulate director Dr. Francesco Sirano, a member of VeLoCi’s Advisory Board, for the numerous projects to expand and improve the park's accessibility, and we will keep you updated on our upcoming initiatives!