Evening openings

MINISTRY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ACTIVITIES

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF POMPEII

Valorisation Project 2020 – Evening openings

European Heritage Days – Evening opening on the 31/10/2020

Museums Night - Evening opening on the 14/11/2020

As part of the cultural heritage valorisation projects, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities has requested the availability of several of its various associated institutes, for the organisation of extraordinary evening openings of state sites. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii will take part in the initiative, with evening openings of the Excavations of Pompeii, the Villa of Poppaea at Torre Annunziata, of the Villa Regina at Boscoreale and the Archaeological Museum of Stabiae, on ten Friday and Saturday evenings, as listed below:

Excavations of Pompeii:       2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th October, 14th November

Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis:  2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th October, 14th November

Villa Regina at Boscoreale:   2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th October,  14th November

‘Libero D’Orsi’ Archaeological Museum of Stabiae: 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th October, 14th November

The sites will be open to the public from 20:00 to 23:00, with the last entries permitted at 22:00.

The ticket will cost €6 (€2 at the reduced rate) at the Excavations of Pompeii, while at the Villa of Poppaea at Torre Annunziata, the Villa Regina at Boscoreale and the ‘Libero D’Orsi’ Museum the cost will be €3 (€2 at the reduced rate).

Furthermore, on the 31st October 2020, on the occasion of the European Days of Heritage, there will be an extraordinary evening opening of Pompeii, Oplontis and Villa Regina, with the same route and opening hours, at a cost of €1.

Visitor route at the excavations of Pompeii

The evening route begins at the Porta Marina entrance and concludes in Piazza Esedra, allowing access to the Forum and several public buildings, which are illuminated courtesy of a project carried out in collaboration with ENEL Sole. As well as the artistic and atmospheric lighting of the sites, a series of background voices will immerse visitors in a timeless atmosphere.

After walking alongside the illuminated Suburban Baths, the visitor will follow the path up the hill at the Porta Marina, where the voices of artisans and slaves will recall the activities of a bakery and the workshop of a blacksmith, which were located adjacent to the the road, where the voice of the mistress of the house will describe the day that awaits her and her husband.

The route then continues, entering the Sanctuary of Apollo, in which voices will tell of the Ludi Apollinares, the sumptuous feasts held in honour of the god, recalling in particular their most famous occasion, which involved the games organised thanks to the generosity of Aulus Clodius Flaccus.

The visit then proceeds to the Forum of Pompeii, pausing in front of the Capitolium, where the voices of a father and a son will describe the religious rites which were celebrated in honour of Jupiter.

Following a visit to the Temple of the Public Lares, which was intended to be a centre of worship in the city, and the Temple of the Divine Vespasian, dedicated to the Imperial cult, the visitor will arrive at the Building of Eumachia where the voices of the fullones, the ancient laundrymen who had the priestess Eumachia as their protector, will speak of the merits of their patroness.

Passing in front of the Comitium (the building where elections were conducted) and the municipal buildings on the southern side of the Forum, the visit continues to the Basilica, the place where justice was administered and which therefore functioned as the ancient law court.

Returning to Via Marina, the visit concludes by entering the Temple of Venus, the patron goddess of Pompeii. From the terrace of the temple, the exit at Piazza Esedra can be reached by stairs.