Porta Ercolano and Necropolis, Pompei

Porta Ercolano is one of the main gates leading through Pompei鈥檚 ancient walls. Composed of three barrel arches, it opens onto the Roman road linking the city to nearby Herculaneum. The gate was built by the Sullans following their conquest of Pompei in 80 BC, although this had been an access point through the city walls since the 3rd century BC. It now marks the route for tourists visiting Herculaneum and the Villa of the Mysteries, which both lie north-west of the historic site of Pompei. Passing through the gate on the left side, you can see marks in the walls where stones, launched by catapult, struck against them.

Halfway along the road from Porta Ercolano to the Villa of the Mysteries lies the Necropolis. Dating from the 1st century BC, it is the largest and most noteworthy cemetery discovered in Pompei. The large tomb here houses cremated bodies, placed in urns and interned in the tomb wall. Local figures buried here have their resting places marked with a human bust. Look out for a number of unusual tombs, including a columned platform flanked with statues, and the marble covered tombs of local luminaries, apparently designed to look like temple altars.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Pompei. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Porta Ercolano and Necropolis
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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