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Pavilion of the boat at Herculaneum

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In the area forthcoming the “Pavilion of the boat”,  close to the ancient site of Herculaneum, it will be created the new Archeological Museum of Herculaneum. The design of the bulding was commissioned to the famous Italian Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano.

The museum will house the artifacts crammed in the deposits of Ercolano and some frescoes and statues that are in the deposits of the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

The funders of the new museum will be the members  of the Packard Foundation, supported by David Woodley Packard, seventy years old, son of the founder of Hewlett-Packard, for years the archaeological funders.

According to the progect, the new structure will be a basement  with a minimum impact on the landscape and it will be covered with a green roof, on the model of other interventions Piano as the California Academy of Sciences of San Francisco.

 

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Basilica Noniana, Herculaneum and the ‘Basilica’ Frescoes.

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One building or two? A building was partially discovered in 1739 by Alcubierre. Described as a ‘temple’, it had semi-circular niches containing the well known frescoes of Thereus, Telephus, Chiron and Achilles and others. In Cochin and Bellicard’s book 1954 is a description of a building containing the frescoes and two equestrian statues. Cochin’s plan of the building, shown opposite, notes the location of the finds. Variously described as a temple, a basilica, and a forum, the building measured 68m by 40m and was placed on the north side of the Decumanus Maximus.

 

Tha Basilica map

If this building, the source of these well known frescoes and equestrian statues, and the Basilica Noniana are one and the same, some obvious anomalies arise:

a) The location – on opposite sides of the Decumanus Maximus, this difference could be explained by the difficulty in locating the building due to the many twists and turns in the access tunnels.

b) The size – Cochin measured the building as 68m by 40m (larger, by the way than the Basilica in Pompeii) while the Basilica Noniana is less than half the size. Could Cochin’s measurements by out by a factor of two?

c) The orientation – Cochin placed the main entrance on the souhtwest side of the building, whereas the entrance to the Basilica Noniana is plainly on its northeast side, off the Decumanus Maximus.

So, one building or two?

 

(from http://bloggingpompeii.blogspot.it/2011/01/basilica-noniana-herculaneum-and.html)

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The Bourbon tunnel used for the excavations
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The equestrian statue of Marco Nonio Balbo, Archeaological Museum of Naples

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Pompeii in 3 D – Film

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Pompeii in 3 D - Film
Pompeii in 3 D – Film

Pompeii (referred to by marketing as Pompeii in 3D) is an upcoming American disaster-adventure film co-written, produced and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the film stars Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Carrie-Anne Moss, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica Lucas, with Jared Harris, and Kiefer Sutherland. It is scheduled to be released in February 2014.

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Pompeii 2 hours tour
Pompeii 2 hours tour

Herculaneum and Pompeii from Rome

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Herculaneum and Pompeii from Rome

Of all the ancient Rome tours, a visit to Pompeii and Herculaneum is a must while staying in Italy. Nowhere else will you see history so well preserved. The story behind this famous place is laid bare as you wander around the streets between former houses and brothels. You will see the last moments in the lives of the people of Pompeii that were captured by the erupting volcano.

From Rome tourists can take two modern and comfortable high-speed trains getting Naples in 1h:10min. The trains are called “Italo” and “Frecciarossa“; return tickets cost between 80 and 100 euros. Sometimes there’s the possibility to get discounts booking a couple of months in advance.
From Naples the best way to get Pompeii or Herculaneum is by Circumvesuviana local train. The trip lasts 20 minutes (stop at Ercolano Scavi) and 30 minutes (stop at “Pompei Villa dei Misteri”) 100 meters away from the main gate of the excavations called “Porta Marina Superiore”. The return ticket cost 4,50 euro.

Contact me to arrange a great walking tour!

herculaneumguide@gmail.com

+39 3929086462