Souvenir Kiosks Demolished in Pompeii, Agreement for Reopening: They Will Be Rebuilt

Following the removal of 46 souvenir kiosks at the entrances to the Archaeological Park and the Sanctuary at the end of October for illegal occupation of public land, the Municipality, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and the Archaeological Park reached an agreement to restore them.

The old kiosks, considered unsightly and not in line with the prestige of the World Heritage site, were demolished, leaving the many workers selling items related to the Pompeii excavations and the Sanctuary without a job. Now, thanks to a project approved with the municipal council resolution no. 11 of January 13, 2025, a process of redevelopment is underway to regulate and enhance the presence of these points of sale.

The City of Pompei, with the support of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Archaeological Park, has accelerated the bureaucratic procedures to draw up a plan that meets the aesthetic and functional requirements of a city of such cultural importance. “We have paid maximum attention to the needs of operators and workers in the sector – declared the mayor Carmine Lo Sapio –. The resources needed to implement the project are already available, thanks to joint work with trade organizations and competent bodies."

The new plan calls for the Municipality to purchase the artifacts, designed to integrate harmoniously into the historical context, and then assign them through regulated procedures. “The dialogue with the prosecutor Nunzio Fragliasso and with the director of the Archaeological Park Gabriel Zuchtriegel has been constant – added the mayor –. Together we defined the typology of the kiosks, the areas in which to place them and the necessary procedures”.