Ruins of Pompei

The Forum of Pompeii represents the beating heart of the ancient city and is one of the most iconic sites of the Pompeii Excavations. This rectangular square, 143 meters long and 38 meters wide, was the city’s political, religious, and economic life centre. Surrounded by an imposing colonnade, the forum was a space dedicated to public ceremonies, commercial meetings, and religious celebrations. Debates were held here, justice was administered, and essential public business was transacted, making it the hub of Pompeii’s daily life.Built in Samnite times in the 4th century BC, the forum underwent significant renovation after the Roman conquest in the 2nd century BC, becoming a perfect example of Roman architecture. During the Augustan period, between the end of the 1st century B.C. and the beginning of the 1st century A.D., the forum was further embellished: the original tufa pavement was replaced with travertine slabs, while porticoes with Doric columns at the bottom and Ionic columns at the top were built around the square. These architectural details give the Forum of Pompeii a unique beauty, making it one of the best-preserved squares in the Roman world.Thanks to a raised pavement and access steps, the forum was entirely off limits to chariot traffic and was surrounded by public buildings of primary importance. Prominent among these were the Forum Basilica, the judicial and economic centre; the Temple of Jupiter, dedicated to the Capitoline Triad; the Macellum, the city market; and the Temple of Apollo, one of the oldest places of worship in Pompeii. Also on the square’s north side were the honorary arches dedicated to Roman emperors, which further embellished this grandiose space. To visit the Forum of Pompeii is to immerse yourself in a place where history, architecture and daily life are intertwined. Here you can walk among columns still standing, admire the vestiges of temples and imagine the lives of ancient Pompeians. The forum also offers stunning views of Mount Vesuvius, a constant and majestic feature in the background, a reminder of the city’s tragic fate.

Amazing, we had a guide and walked only down 1 road. Definitely need a few days to complete it all. Minimal shelter from the heat, but does provide water fountains. Lots of history and story telling. Cobbled floor, so where flats

The Foro di Pompei is the beating heart of the ancient city a wide-open plaza that instantly transports you to Roman times. Surrounded by the ruins of temples, public buildings and markets, the Forum offers a compelling sense of what daily life might have been like nearly 2,000 years ago before Mount Vesuvius buried the city in ash. It’s both grand and haunting. You stand where merchants once sold their goods, where politicians addressed the crowd and where citizens gathered under the shadow of the once-proud temples to Jupiter and Apollo. What’s left of the columns and facades still echoes with history. From the Forum, you also get one of the most dramatic views of Vesuvius a quiet but constant reminder of the city’s tragic fate. The space is well preserved and clearly signposted. It’s central to most of the other ruins, so it’s a good starting or ending point for your visit. Try to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds and enjoy the changing light on the ancient stones. Tip: Bring water, wear good walking shoes and if you’re keen on deeper context, a guided tour with Mario is the way to go which really brings the Forum and its significance to life. A must-see highlight of Pompeii simple yet deeply moving.

The site was really big and it was interesting, but whatever the service was wasn’t. The audioguide was definitely necessary, and we bought tickets online and the lady there told us to redeem the audioguides at the ticket counter (which was false) and my boyfriend went and bought 2 audio guides, just to be told later our audio guides were included in the package and they refused to refund us. Just a heads up to whoever is visiting please check your ticket details carefully.

A must-see for anyone interested in Roman history. Highly recommend reserving a guided tour ahead of time. If you are traveling with luggage, you can leave it for free in a room in the entrance way.

Beautiful ruins with columns still standing giving an ominous reminder how ornate and gorgeous this city really was!

Amazing location to explore. Our guide was fantastic and made the experience unforgettable.

Once the bustling heart of Pompeii – politics, gossip, trade, and gods all crammed into one square. Now? Just sunburnt tourists wondering where Mount Vesuvius is hiding behind their selfie stick. It’s oddly quiet for a place where half the town’s drama went down – but easy to imagine a guy here trying to haggle for two goats and a loaf of bread. :)