Bakery and Vicolo Storto, Pompei

Pompei鈥檚 largest bakery is located in the Vicolo Storto area, a market place area similar to the Forum, which is also known for housing the only known brothel in the city. The building is one of a remarkable thirty five mills and bakeries discovered in the ruins of Pompei; by contrast, no other sufficiently preserved Roman bakeries have been recovered anywhere else in the world. The bakeries of Pompei therefore give us a unique insight into the advanced milling industry possessed by the Roman Empire. It is thought that the majority of citizens would have travelled to bakeries to collect bread, as there was no facility to bake it at home.

The machinery used to produce bread here consists of millstones, formed from igneous rock, which were turned by mules or donkeys, grinding grains that fell through an hourglass-shaped funnel and through the millstones. It has been suggested that whilst this appears a fairly primitive method, there may been improved techniques in operation within larger cities such as Rome and Naples. The mills of Rome were hard places to work 鈥� Apuleius, a Roman author, recorded the hardships of the women, slaves and animals that were put to work in bakeries. The playwright Plautus himself worked in a bakery at one time, and wrote about the struggles of life in the mill.

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Sight Name: Bakery and Vicolo Storto
Sight Location: Pompei, Italy (See walking tours in Pompei)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Pompeii Introduction Walk II

Walking Tours in Pompei, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Pompei

Creating your own self-guided walk in Pompei is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Pompeii Introduction Walk II

Frozen at the moment it was buried under the thick blanket of ash and pumice, the city of Pompeii (now excavated) remains a unique window into the past, offering a snapshot of everyday life back in the 1st century AD Roman Empire. Aside from causing quick and unexpected death to the city, the huge eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD did have one positive outcome 鈥� it preserved everything (properties,... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Pompeii Introduction Walk I

Modern-day Pompei is best known for its ancient predecessor, the Roman city of Pompeii, that fell victim to the massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The ruins of Pompeii, first uncovered in the late 18th century, were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. Presently, this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, drawing annually up to 2.5 million visitors.

The... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles

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