The second phase of a consolidation and restoration project has been launched at the archaeological site of Pompeii, near Naples in southern Italy’s Campania region, with support from European Union funding. The objective is to stop and reverse the effects of deterioration of the buildings and decorative and architectural fittings, as well as reducing risks from groundwater and improving the way in which the site is managed.
- 02 October 2017
The project entails the application of an innovative intervention method which organises and implements the restoration operations in an organic, planned and systematic manner.
In particular, the work is intended to consolidate Pompeii’s structures and urban lay-out, starting with the areas ranked as ‘high risk’ on an archaeological risk map. A water canalisation and drainage system is to be built in the non-excavated state-owned area overlooking the ancient buildings.
Training for staff
An additional element of the work concerns training to strengthen the technical skills of staff of the Special Superintendence for the Archaeological Heritage of Naples and Pompeii, which is responsible for administrating the site. Pompeii has been an important tourist destination for over 250 years and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An important aim of the project is to boost tourism and it expects to attract some 198 000 visitors a year.
A total of EUR 105 million is to be spent on the work over both phases of the project. The value of European Union funding for the second phase stands at just under EUR 49 million.
Deterioration due to exposure
Pompeii was a Roman city thought to have been founded in the 7th or 6th century BC. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 destroyed Pompeii, the town of Herculaneum and many buildings in the surrounding area, covering them under volcanic ash. At the time of the eruption, Pompeii had an estimated population of around 11 000.
The city was then largely forgotten until the first ruins were unearthed in 1599, with broader archaeological investigations taking place from the mid-18th century. While buried, objects and buildings were preserved by the lack of air and moisture and give important insights into life at the time of the eruption.
Since they have been exposed, deterioration due to natural and human factors has been rapid, placing Pompeii’s future in jeopardy. Such factors include weathering, erosion, light exposure, water damage, inappropriate excavation and reconstruction methods, introduction of plants and animals, vandalism and theft. Violent storms caused the site’s partial collapse in 2010 and this was followed by torrential rainfall in October 2011. The work under the project should help to safeguard one of the world’s great historical treasures and a vital part of Europe’s ancient Roman heritage.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Pompei, II. phase” is EUR 65 000 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 48 945 793 through the “National Operational Programme on Culture” for the 2014-2020 programming period.