Mount Vesuvius is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led
to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and
Herculaneum.They were never rebuilt, although surviving
townspeople and probably looters did undertake extensive salvage
work after the destructions. The towns' locations were
eventually forgotten until their accidental rediscovery in the
18th century (1748). The eruption buried and preserved Pompeii.
From the household relics and art, historians learned how people
lived in Roman times Vesuvius has erupted many times since and
is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the
world because of the population living nearby and its tendency
towards explosive eruptions.The area around Vesuvius was
officially declared a national park on 5 June 1995. The summit
of Vesuvius is open to visitors and there is a small network of
paths around the mountain that are maintained by the park
authorities on weekends. VOLCANOES OF THE PAST MOUNT VESUVIUS
WEB CAM Mount Vesuvius erupting with ash fly