Mount Vesuvius!

A Dangerous Volcano: Mount Vesuvius!

It may have happened almost 2000 years ago, but the world still remembers Pompeii and its fate, when Mount Vesuvis buried it in ash. Mount Vesuvius is still an active volcano today. It is the volcano with the most violent past, a past filled with historical eruptions. Despite that fact, it is a great place to visit!

The most famous fact about Mount Vesuvius is that in 79 AD it erupted and buried the city of Pompeii (as well as the city of Herculaneum) under land and ash. These ancient cities were wiped from the history books, until they were rediscovered in the 18th century.

A shot of the mountain from the Bay of Naples. The volcano is known as Vesuio in Italy.

Looking at Vesuvius from above. This is one of the most dangeours volcanos, with a rich history of eruption all way from 1800BC to 1944 - with hundreds of documened eruptions in between.

Even after losing some of its original height to the many explosive eruptions, mount Vesuvius is still 1281 meters (4,203 feet) tall.

A morning adds a beautiful orange glow to the mountain.

Restored Pompeii with the mountain looming in the background. You can imagine what an eruption it was to reach Pompeii and obliterate it.

Italy, seeing Massa Lubrenese and mount Vesuvio together.

A stormy morning with just a little light hitting the foothills of the mountain.

Some of the ruins of ancient Pompeii, after it was escavated from under 4-6 meters (13-20 feet) of ash, lost for almost 1700 years. Today, more than 2.5 million visitors arrive every year to visit this UNESCO heritage site.

You can still find evidence of human victims in Pompeii, frozen at the moment they were buried, almost 2000 years ago.

Shortly after Pompeii was rediscovered in the 1700s, a French painter made this exquisite painting of the eruption of the volcano, as watched by the helpless people of Pompeii.

Mount Vesuvius and and still defiant columns from Pompeii.

This sad site is called 'The Garden of the Fugitives', where many cast bodies were found.

Inside the mouth of Vesuvius. The volcano is technically active but at the moment only steam comes out of it.

A nightly view of Naples.

Naples in the 1800s.

Naples from the sea with Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Erupting in 1944.

Once again, the area qround the volcano is densely populated. Here's hoping we will be ready for the next time it erupts.