The Pompeii destination
The Pompeii destination
History
Located at the foot of Vesuvius, on the southern slope at 14 m. high above sea level, Pompeii borders the neighboring towns of Boscoreale, Scafati, Torre Annunziata, Castellammare di Stabia and Santa Maria la Carità, some of them as many centers of tourist interest.
The city, as we know it today, was officially born in 1928, on March 29th. On that date, Vittorio Emanuele III signs a special law thanks to which about 7000 inhabitants come together under the name of "Comune di Pompei", whose chosen location is the one that still today houses the Town Hall, i.e. Palazzo De Fusco and which at the At the time it was an old hotel with the Healthy Source behind it.
The origins of this community, however, must be sought in 1872, when the lawyer Bartolo Longo arrived in the town and began to gather the few inhabitants around the church which, on his initiative, was dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, today called the Shrine of Pompeii . Bartolo Longo was always a great benefactor of the city and his memory is kept alive today also thanks to the monument placed in the main square.
Today Pompeii is both a religious and tourist center of global interest thanks to the simultaneous presence of a vast archaeological heritage unique in the world and the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary.
The ancient city and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii
Located north-west of the modern city, the Pompeii Archaeological Park covers 66 hectares and represents the only archaeological site in the world capable of restoring the image of a Roman city in its entirety. City that was founded by the Osci Romans around the 7th century BC. and which for several centuries represented an important hub of the Roman economic circuit, naturally also thanks to its strategic position.
As everyone well knows, however, its history is characterized by the terrible eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. which completely buried Pompeii and other neighboring sites with its lava, thus destroying all forms of life in a few moments.
Only in the 18th century were excavations started which brought to light a large part of the city and which returned to Pompeii a globally recognized wealth.
In this regard, in 1997, a UNESCO delegation, made up of 200 experts from 45 countries around the world, declared the archaeological site of Pompeii a world heritage site.
Currently, within the Archaeological Park of Pompeii it is possible to follow various itineraries that lead to the discovery of the various buildings brought to light, most of them majestic and extremely representative.
There are also several accesses to the site, which take the name of "Porta". The most used, as an entrance door, is Porta Marina, so called because, in ancient times, it was positioned right next to the sea. Entering from here, you also have the opportunity to soon encounter some of the most important buildings in the city: the Basilica, that is an ancient Palace of Justice; the Forum, an impressive square, the heart of the economic, religious and social life of ancient Pompeii and on whose sides there are as many significant structures, such as the Temple of Apollo, the Building of Eumachia, the Temple of Vespasian and the Sanctuary of the Public Lares, protectors of the city..
Afterwards, depending on the roads chosen along the maze of paths that intertwine the Park, one can linger near what were the taverns of the time or enter the splendid domus, many of them still elegant and stately today, adorned with frescoes incredibly preserved..
Listing all the points of visit, however, would be infinite and perhaps even scarcely exhaustive, since the Pompeii Archaeological Park includes an invaluable heritage, worthy of note in each element.
Map
To better understand the vastness of the area, we invite you to download the site map, so as to plan in advance the itinerary that best suits your needs.
Official site
For all the information necessary for the organization and planning of the event, please refer to the official website:
Mass celebration times
For the times for the celebration of the Holy Mass, for the guided tours promoted by the Association and for the ascent to the Bell Tower, we recommend that you inquire at the official website of the Sanctuary:
The Sanctuary
The Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary is one of the major centers of Marian devotion in Italy and welcomes around two million faithful every year.
Its construction saw two distinct phases: the first construction began on 8 May 1876, the date on which the first stone was laid.
This first structure consisted of a single nave, apse, dome, four side chapels and two chapels ending the cruise. The building we know now, however, and which was enlarged between 1934 and 1939, is a Latin cross with three naves.
Its facade is the first monument in the world dedicated to universal peace.
Today, in addition to being a place of religious worship, the Sanctuary is also the custodian of precious art treasures, such as the works of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the result of the inspiration of artists such as Vincenzo Paliotti, Federico Maldarelli, Ponziano Loverini, Fermo Taragni.
On the altar, on the other hand, is the venerated Madonna of Pompeii, a seventeenth-century canvas from the school of Luca Giordano, adorned with gems and surrounded by the Twenty Mysteries of the Rosary painted on copper. The icon depicts the Virgin enthroned with Jesus in her arms; at his feet, Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena. The Virgin holds the rosary in her left hand which she offers to Saint Catherine, while Jesus, resting on her right leg, hands it to Saint Dominic.
This canvas, reported today by the faithful from all over the world, arrived in Pompeii on November 13, 1875, on a cart full of manure, wrapped only in a sheet.
Inside the Basilica, in particular in the Offer Room, it is also possible to visit some rooms of the home of Bartolo Longo, an esteemed and adored benefactor of the city.
Next to the Sanctuary stands the bell tower, 80 meters high, on which today it is possible to climb and admire the entire modern city, the Archaeological Park and some nearby territories from a different perspective.
How to get to Pompeii
Pompeii is served by three railway lines, which stop in the most strategic points of the city: the regional trains of Trenitalia and the EAV trains, on the Naples - Sorrento line with the Pompei Scavi stop and on the Naples - Poggiomarino line, for the Pompei Sanctuary stop .
The closest airport, on the other hand, is naturally that of Naples Capodichino, which is less than 30 kilometers from Pompeii and which can be reached not only by taxi, but also by bus.
Finally, along the Naples – Salerno (A3) motorway section, there are two exits Pompei Ovest and Pompei Est/Scafati, which allow you to reach the city comfortably by car as well.
Useful numbers
The useful numbers of the city are available on the official website of the Municipality of Pompeii: