It’s an ongoing saga that continues to crumble. In Pompeii, Italy, it appears this Roman ruin may soon be in ruins.
According to various sources, this past week it was discovered that a pillar supporting one of the pergolas in the Roman ruin had collapsed after standing for nearly 2,100 years. While the rest of the Pompeii ruin is still standing, after two collapses of part of Pompeii in 2010, a hailstorm of criticism was unleashed over the ability to properly care for the UNSESCO World Heritage site that many consider to be the best preserved Roman ruin on the planet.
The recent collapse of the 7.9 ft tall structure is potentially being attributed to heavy rains and winds that have buffeted the Naples, Italy area in recent days. Many are calling on the country’s culture minister Lorenzo Ornaghi to devote greater attention to protecting and preserving one of Italy’s most famous treasures.
Once a thriving Roman city of around 13,000 people, the 79 AD eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius buried the entire town under piles of ash in an eruption estimated to pack the force of 40 atom bombs.
Here’s hoping that the Italian government realizes the importance of preserving such ancient pieces of history, and I hope as many pillars in Pompeii are around for my next visit as are still standing there today.
[Photo: Flickr, Ashley R. Good]