Aart Heering
In 2004 the Süddeutsche Zeitung published a controversial article entitled 'Pompeï, Italy's national disgrace'. In Europe's most renowned archaeological park, 'the walls are collapsing and the degradation is synonymous with the dysfunction of the country', read the harsh verdict of the German newspaper.
That was all too true at the time, but not anymore. The city that was swallowed by the lava of the in AD 79 Vesuvius and has been (mostly) excavated in the previous 2 centuries, has undergone a major facelift in the past 5 years and is now more beautiful than ever. Pompeii is reborn.
You can already see it at the entrance. What used to be a shabby square with roving knick-knack sellers, clandestine parking attendants and questionable types pushing themselves as 'guides' is now squeaky clean, with a few regular stalls, some eateries and a desk of the police.
Pompeii is like new
The long lines at the counter also seem to have disappeared, but that could also be because it is February. Ancient Pompeii, which about 10 years ago still regularly made the world press when another domus (house) collapsed, looks like new (as much as you can say about ruins).
The hundreds of houses that line the ancient streets have been restored and supported where necessary with wooden beams and metal struts. The streets themselves, with their characteristic basalt cobblestones, are remarkably clean, and that has never been the case. Entire neighborhoods that were closed due to the risk of collapse are now accessible again. And long-hidden and dilapidated frescoes are now cleansed and visible again.
Such as the Casa del Frutteto (House of the Orchard), with its beautiful murals of trees, plants and birds, which had been closed since the severe earthquake of 1980 and finally reopened last week. This also applies to the Casa degli Amanti (House of the Lovers), which owes its name to a moving graffiti that is now clearly visible after years of neglect: Amantes, ut apes, vitam melitam exegunt (Love couples, like bees, lead a life sweet as honey).
The Schola Armatorum, the gladiators' home, abandoned after a devastating collapse in 2010, was re-opened last year. And then there's the House of Leda and the Swan, with a beautiful fresco of the supreme god Jupiter disguised as a swan seducing the Spartan queen Leda, which was only excavated in 2018.
Another 22 hectares buried
Incidentally, about 22 hectares of Pompei are still buried under pumice, but it is not the intention to excavate this area in the short term. The main aim of the works of recent years has been to preserve, restore and protect the existing monuments.
In the past 5 years, 45 buildings have been restored to good condition, 50 kilometers of walls and walls have been restored, 30.000 cubic meters of rubble have been removed and countless vases, statues, jewelry and other objects have been discovered.
At the same time, the number of visitors increased from 2014 to 2019 million per year between 2,7 and 3,9. It Great Pompeii Project, which was provisionally closed last week, was therefore an excellent success. That is also allowed, because the project involves an amount of no less than 105 million euros, 75% of which is paid by the EU and 92 million has since been spent.
The work continues
Not everything has been done with that yet. In many Pompeian homes, archaeologists dressed in white overalls are still busy at work and will continue to do so, argues director Massimo Osanna: 'Visitors can see the work being done here and that makes Pompei a living place instead of a dead person. city.'
Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, one of the great pacers behind the Project Pompei, also wants to spend another 50 million in the coming years on refurbishing the area: better infrastructure, more and better hotels and a direct train line instead of the Circumvesuviana , the grubby little bum that still burns to the excavations today.
Money well spent
According to the European Commission, the funds for Pompei have been well spent. This is also because the archaeological work was accompanied by a series of far-reaching administrative measures. As director of Pompei, instead of a scientist, a general of the carabinieri was appointed for 2 years, and an office of the carabinieri was established at the archaeological site.
Skilled new personnel were hired and a special team was formed to clean the streets of Pompei on a daily basis. Equally important was a law change introduced in 2015 at the initiative of Franceschini, which equated museums and archaeological parks with 'essential public services' such as hospitals and the police.
End of the strikes
This put an end to the wildcat strikes, with which the former staff regularly flattened the tent, preferably on busy days. This kind of blackmail is no longer possible. Strikes may not block the normal routine on pain of dismissal or even arrest and there are no more strikes in Pompei.
Franceschini: 'Five years ago the situation here was still dramatic, with monuments collapsing and long rows of angry tourists in front of the gates when the strike was again made. That has now come to an end. The state of emergency is over in Pompeii.'
I don't like to quote politicians, but this time I did.
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