How much does it cost to enter Pompeii?
Pompeii has never really been surpassed as the world’s strangest tourist attraction. This once-great city is on the site of one of history’s most lethal volcanic eruptions, a place where ash and pumice relentlessly reigned down on a thriving populace.
It was only until the 1800s when archaeologists began to uncover the city’s remains, unearthing mummified bodies, ancient theatres and bizarre manor houses in the process!
Today, Pompeii is one of Italy’s most visited tourist destinations, with some 2.5 million tourists entering the eerie ruins each year. It costs about 15 Euro to enter the ruins, which allows you to experience the buried city’s key attractions, the likes of which include:
The Amphitheatres
The Ancient Romans loved to let their hair down, whether it be marvelling upon gladiators mauling each other to death, hanging out at the local bath house (or brothel) or watching a play happen at one of their stunning amphitheatres.
Pompeiians must have really enjoyed the theatre, because the ruins contain a whole complex of them, including the Little and Grand theatres. One of the most well-preserved Pompeii attractions, the architecture is spectacular and you can really get a feel of how they would have taken in a great show before the party ended in AD 79.
The House of the Faun
Class was a big part of Pompeii life, and this can be seen through the difference in some of its dwellings, one of which is the once-surely-luxurious House of the Faun. What would have been a lavish home is now, of course, a crumbling ruin, with the eponymous faun statue adorning the home’s forecourt.
The House of Mysteries
Perhaps Pompeii’s eeriest site is the House of Mysteries, a place that has baffled historians since its unearthing in 1909. Miraculously, the house’s bizarre frescoes still adorn the walls, and they appear to be detailing some strange cult initial rites the likes of which said historians can’t decipher.
Whatever is going on in the paintings may remain a mystery, but it was surely something that would by today’s standards be very untoward…
The Forum
Every Roman citadel needed a good forum, and Pompeii’s iteration would have been a ripper. With the Temple of Jupiter and Sanctuary of Apollo both located in and around the once-grand town hub!