Pompeii Facts and Figures
The numbers, each traceable to the Archaeological Park's own publications. Nothing here is rounded for effect and nothing is repeated from another travel page. Where a figure is disputed, both versions appear. Every guided option here — see the italy pompeii tours — is led by a licensed archaeologist.
The city, in numbers
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total area of the archaeological site | 66 hectares |
| Excavated | 49 hectares |
| Area enclosed by the first tuff walls | 63.5 hectares |
| Height above sea level | about 30 m, on a lava plateau |
| Districts (regiones) | 9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75133°N, 14.48679°E |
| UNESCO inscription | 1997, with Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata |
The walls and the gates
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Length of the circuit | over 3,200 m |
| Towers | 12, most of them on the flatter north side |
| Gates | 7 |
| Earliest walls in place | 6th century BC |
| Marina Gate vault | Sullan colony, 80 BC |
| Construction of the wall | double wall with a walkway, embanked inside |
The eruption, and the earthquake before it
| Event | Date | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquake across the Vesuvian area | AD 62 | Repairs unfinished 17 years later |
| Eruption — traditional date | 24 August AD 79 | Pliny the Younger's letters |
| Eruption — the autumn reading | 17 October AD 79 | Charcoal inscription, Regio V, announced 2018 |
| Riot at the Amphitheatre | AD 59 | Senate closed the arena for ten years |
The excavation record
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Late 16th century | The buried city found during water works |
| 1738 | Digging begins at Herculaneum |
| 1748 | Excavation begins at Pompeii under Charles III of Bourbon |
| 1764 | First work on the Large Theatre |
| 1813 | The Forum opened, at Maria Carolina Bonaparte's request |
| 1858 | Fiorelli's division into regiones and insulae |
| 1909–10, 1929–30 | The Villa of the Mysteries |
| 1928–32 | The House of the Menander |
| 2018 | The Regio V inscription that reopened the date question |
| 2021 | The Antiquarium reopens as the on-site museum |
The buildings, dated
| Building | Date | Distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Amphitheatre | 70 BC | Oldest known in the Roman world; held about 20,000 |
| Stabian Baths | 2nd century BC | Among the oldest baths known in the Roman world |
| Basilica | 130–120 BC | 1,500 m²; one of the oldest of its type anywhere |
| Macellum | 130–120 BC | Food market with a tholos for cleaning fish |
| Large Theatre | mid-2nd century BC | Architect of the Augustan works named: Marcus Artorius Primus |
| House of the Faun | 2nd century BC | About 3,000 m², a whole block |
| Villa of the Mysteries | 2nd century BC; present form 80–70 BC | The Dionysiac frieze, same date as the villa's rebuild |
| House of the Menander | excavated 1928–32 | 118 pieces of silverware found boxed in a cellar |
Visiting today, in numbers
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Daily visitor cap | 20,000 |
| Morning admission slot, 16 Mar – 14 Oct | 9:00–13:00, max 15,000 |
| Afternoon admission slot, same season | 13:00–17:30, max 5,000 |
| Pompeii Express ticket | €20 (reduced €2) |
| Ticket including the suburban villas | €25 (reduced €2) |
| Three-day Pompeii Plus pass | €30 |
| Suburban villas top-up on an Express ticket | €8, card only, at the Herculaneum Gate |
| Herculaneum admission | €16 (reduced €2) |
| Entrances | 3 — Porta Marina, Piazza Esedra, Piazza Anfiteatro |
| Maximum bag size | 30 × 30 × 15 cm |
| Maximum organised group | 35; headsets compulsory above 15 |
| Accessible route length | over 3.5 km, from Piazza Anfiteatro |
| Days closed each year | 2 — 25 December and 1 January |
| Guided tours listed here, from | From $34 per person |
One number is deliberately absent. Pompeii's annual visitor total is quoted widely, and no figure for it traces back to the park or the ministry, so none is printed here.
The story behind these dates is on the history page, the buildings themselves on the houses and public buildings page, and the practical rules on visiting Pompeii. Fares are compared on Pompeii Italy Tours.
Sources
Site area, wall lengths, building dates and excavation years are from the park’s own A Guide to the Pompeii Excavations. Ticket prices, hours, the daily cap, the admission slots, the bag limit, the group rules and the accessible route are published by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. Prices and hours change — check before you travel.