The ancient beach of Herculaneum is open to visitors again

That beach overlooking the sea, where about three hundred fugitives failed to escape death during the eruption of 79 AD, has been eroded over the years by corrosion and rainwater.

Today, however, it is being reborn thanks to a recovery project implemented by the Archaeological Park of Ercolano, in a public-private partnership with the Packard Humanities Institute and with funding from CIS (Institutional Development Contract) Vesuvius.

Today, among numerous groups of tourists and visitors, the inauguration of a fundamental and strategic work of the Park is celebrated: the ancient beach of Herculaneum.

In the medium term, the reconnection of a stretch of beach with the Villa dei Papiri, to expand the tourist offering in the coming years. In recent times, the area has been subject to corrosion and degradation, caused by natural factors related to rainwater and rising water, which had transformed the beach into a swamp.

The work has restored an image as close as possible to the original one, prior to the eruption of 79 AD. From today, visitors can walk through the area and look out over the arches, where the skeletons of approximately 300 fugitives lie. Despite the civil defense operation led by the Roman admiral and scholar Pliny the Elder, they were unable to save themselves by sea.

"Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis: we're working on many projects.", said the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano. "Right now, in the budget law, we've refinanced the excavations, and construction sites are more active than ever before, bringing to light new treasures, fueling scholarly activity."

Minister Sangiuliano: "There are many funded excavations."

He continued: "We firmly believe in all of this: creating, connecting, and enhancing this area, which UNESCO has also recognized as being of great value and which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. We are convinced that it will represent an opportunity for socio-economic development."

A concept also reiterated by the mayor of Ercolano, Ciro Buonajuto: "Today, our city's tourist offerings are growing; the Archaeological Park is an extraordinary attraction, a place that attracts visitors from all over the world."

"It wasn't just a restoration job", has explained Francis Sirano, director of the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, "But also a major research effort. Representing a site in an open-air archaeological setting also means being able to delve deeper into scientific aspects: we conducted excavations and found remains and traces of the pyroclastic flows that struck the city in 79 AD, with materials of all kinds."

The most significant discovery was that of the "last fugitive"

The most significant discovery was that of the "last fugitive", which occurred in 2021: the skeleton of a man of about 40 years old who was probably trying to escape by sea, with a bag containing his most precious objects.