Pompeii was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1749. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city during the Pax Romana. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy, with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.
By the 1st century AD, Pompeii was one of a number of towns located near the base of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius. Burned by Vesuvius lava flow within 3 hours.
