Vesuvius is perhaps the best known active volcano: its fame is mainly linked to the destruction of the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae following the terrible eruption of 79 AD.
The ancient Roman cities, excavated after centuries of silence, are today the most fascinating and complete witness of ancient life and an inexhaustible source of studies and research.
With its unmistakable and majestic bulk, Vesuvius rises over the Gulf of Naples. Sung by poets and writers, it has always been a source of inspiration for many painters and artists. Due to its characteristic shape, it is classified as an "enclosure" volcano, as it consists of two concentric cones.
In fact, the volcano is actually a “double” mountain: Monte Somma, the largest and most external part, is also the one with the oldest formation. The internal one, proper Vesuvius, was raised in a later period and is separated from the first by a gap.
The oldest volcano’s crater perimeter is about 12 kilometers, while the average diameter measures about 3500 meters. The maximum height of the external cone is 1132 meters. However, it is believed that in the past it reached 2500 meters.
The height of the second cone, the Vesuvius, now reaches 1182 meters, while the crater has a diameter of about 700 meters. Of course, over the centuries, depending on the phases of activity or quiescence, there have been constant variations in both shape and size.
The formation of the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic system is therefore the consequence of a series of eruptions that occurred in later moments. The soil is mainly basaltic in nature and made of a mixture of lava flows and debris accumulated due to the consolidation of the numerous lava flows.
On June 5, 1995, Vesuvius National Park was officially born, established to protect and enhance the only active continental volcano in Europe and one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. The Park has the purpose of preserving animal and plant species, geological elements, paleontological formations, biological communities, biotopes, scenic and panoramic beauties, natural processes, hydraulic and hydrogeological balances and the ecological balance of the Vesuvian territory.
