Mount Vesuvius is one of history’s most famous volcanoes. Located in Naples, Italy, this volcano is considered active, meaning it has the potential to erupt at any time. This infamous volcano is most known for its gigantic eruption that occurred in August of 79 AD. The volcano killed thousands of people in the surrounding villages, including the legendary Pompeii. Almost ten feet of ash covered these small villages, literally burying the victims underneath. This incident shows just how immense and powerful Mount Vesuvius was. Most scientists agree the volcano formed because of massive earthquakes that occurred years before. By the year 79, water was scarce and springs were dry. This caused the earth below to crack and upset the seas, which “irritated” Mount Vesuvius and caused the well-known eruption. Because the ash from the volcano helped to preserve the city of Pompeii, this particular natural disaster is now one of the most famous in all of history.

General Resources

• Mount Vesuvius Facts – This site explains the volcano’s location, its formation, and why it erupted.
• Volcano Live – Information about Mount Vesuvius and its relevance today, as well as the important note that it is still active.
• The Eruption – An in-depth page about the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
• The Volcano Today – This page gives an interesting spin and explores what would happen if Vesuvius were to erupt today.
• Pompeii Documentary – A video that displays some eyewitness letters and accounts of the eruption of the infamous volcano.
• Live Camera – Some real time, live cameras of Mount Vesuvius and Naples, Italy.

Eruptions

• Various Activity – Background on the many different eruptions and activity of Mount Vesuvius.
• March 1944 – Maps and information about the eruption that occurred in March of 1944.
• Volcano Profile – A scientific profile of the volcano as well as information about its many eruptions.
• Visual Aide – This simple graphic shows what it might have looked like to witness the eruption from a distance.
• The Next Eruption – This article explains what scientists are saying about Mount Vesuvius’ past and possible future eruptions.
• Recent Eruptions – Explores more recent eruptions of Mount Vesuvius.

Pompeii

• Pompeii – History of the famous Pompeii incident.
• The Destruction of Pompeii – This page tells the story about how this village in Italy was destroyed by the volcano.
• Photographs – Some amazing photos of Pompeii taken by photographer Aaron Levin.
• Viewing Pompeii – More in-depth photos and images of the village of Pompeii.
• Art and History – This page explores the many artifacts recovered from Pompeii. Some of them give great insight into Italian history and the background of its people.
• Inscriptions – This site features some interesting inscriptions found on the walls of many buildings in Pompeii.
• Plaster Casts – A display of fascinating images of plaster casts of people and animals whose bodies were preserved in the ashes of Pompeii.

Formation

• Scientific Research – This scientific abstract explains how Mount Vesuvius was formed.
• Geological Make-up – This page explores the basics of Mount Vesuvius’ formation and its overall make-up.
• Igneous Rocks – An explanation of igneous rock, what it is, and its important role in volcanoes.
• Hazards and Predictions – All about volcanoes and how they pose a risk, as well as what can be done to predict them in the future.
• Phases – This page discusses the volcano’s many phases and its formation.
• An Eruptive History – More information about Mount Vesuvius’ many stages and its formation and history.

Vesuvius Today

• Studies – How one resident of Italy has studied Mount Vesuvius using ash samples.
• The Grand Tour – Featuring a few examples of tours, museum information, and exhibits on Mount Vesuvius.
• Ruins/Neglect – This article discusses how some of the ancient ruins of Pompeii and surrounding areas are now suffering from neglect.
• Resources – This article lists some modern-day books and resources written about Mount Vesuvius.
• Pompeii Building Collapses – Today, Pompeii can be a dangerous place. Buildings threaten collapse, making it a hazard for tourists.

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