Venetian beach in Herculaneum reopens after major restoration

After nearly two thousand years since Mount Vesuvius's eruption, a unique site in Italy's Herculaneum has reopened to tourists. "It was not only a restoration work but also a great research," admitted Francesco Sirano, director of the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, as quoted by CNN.

Herculaneum is a city in Campania located near Mount Vesuvius. On August 24, 79 AD, it was utterly destroyed during its eruption along with Pompeii and Stabiae. During the eruption, over 300 people attempted to take shelter there. Unfortunately, most of them did not survive.

Although archaeological work continues in many historical cities around Mount Vesuvius, they are open to tourists. Travellers eagerly visit the areas of Pompeii and Herculaneum not only for the ruins of houses and temples. They also stroll through the grounds of Vesuvius National Park, which features numerous hiking trails leading to the crater's summit. The area has been enriched with a new, exciting site for tourists.

An ancient beach has been opened in Herculaneum. Attending the opening ceremony, Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano emphasized that the restoration of this site aims, among other things, to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of ancient Roman history and to revitalize the region's cultural heritage.

"In the budget law we have refinanced the excavations and there are construction sites that are active like never before and are revealing new treasures, which fuel the activity of scholars. We believe in all of this: in creating, connecting, strengthening this area which UNESCO has also recognized as of great value and which is one of the most important archaeological areas in the world. Because we are convinced that this will represent a opportunity for socio-economic development," said Gennaro Sangiuliano, as quoted by CNN.

It is worth noting that the new attraction is not a typical beach intended for sunbathing and water sports. It is a site designed for walks on black volcanic sand.

Work on making the ancient beach accessible to tourists lasted three years, but archaeologists had been active in the area much earlier. "It was not only a restoration work but also a great research," said Francesco Sirano, as quoted by CNN.

Human remains were discovered during excavations in the 1980s and 1990s. Skeletons were found both in stone hangars and on the beach itself. One of the most spectacular discoveries was made in 2021 when the skeleton of a man about 40 years old was found.