POMPEII & HERCULANEUM THE URBAN PLAN THE URBAN PLAN The typical Roman city had more public places and a more obviously public character than other.

POMPEII & POMPEII & HERCULANEUMHERCULANEUM

THE URBAN PLANTHE URBAN PLAN

THE URBAN PLANTHE URBAN PLAN

The typical Roman city had more public The typical Roman city had more public places and a more obviously public places and a more obviously public character than other cities.character than other cities.

The Forum was the epicenter of intense The Forum was the epicenter of intense religious, economic political and social religious, economic political and social activityactivity

The urban layout of Pompeii and The urban layout of Pompeii and Herculaneum reflect , not only its historical Herculaneum reflect , not only its historical development but the central role played development but the central role played by the Forum and the towns relationship by the Forum and the towns relationship with the hinterlandwith the hinterland

The Sarno river gave Pompeii the role of sea port for the adjacent hinterland

Nola lay on the main NS road access. The Nola gate decreased in important with less need for defence

Nuceria , also on the NS road axis drew its wealth from the river plain and southern regions of Campania

Via Sabiae was the steepest street running from NW to SE

Stabiae was an important shipbuilding town

The old City or “Aldstat”

Streets were generally narrow, varying between 2.4,3.6 or 4.5 metres wide . At its widest the main street was 8.5 metres wide

The area covered approximately 66 hectares, only 2/3 of which have been excavated

Pompeii was accessed by seven gates, five of which led to other towns.Streets were laid out on a grid, the main axial road( decumanii) crossed by minor roads ( cardini) creating blocks called

insulae about 35x90 metres

No commercial, or residential zoning exists and land use was not exclusively urban

The best preserved gates in Pompeii The best preserved gates in Pompeii are Marina Gate, Stabiana Gate, are Marina Gate, Stabiana Gate, Nolana Gate, and Ercolanense Gate. Nolana Gate, and Ercolanense Gate. The Vesuvius Gate and Sarno Gate The Vesuvius Gate and Sarno Gate have been almost entirely destroyed.have been almost entirely destroyed.

The Porta Marina gate was originally gate to the

sea. There were two arches one for pedestrians and the other one for pack

animals.

Vesuvian GateVesuvian Gate

Porta de NolaPorta de Nola

Porta MarinaPorta Marina

Necropolis outside Porta NoceraNecropolis outside Porta Nocera

Elements of StreetscapesElements of Streetscapes

Streetscapes represent the Streetscapes represent the interrelationship between buildings, interrelationship between buildings, landscape and open spaces in the landscape and open spaces in the street scene.street scene.

Elements of streetscape are Elements of streetscape are sidewalks, benches, fountains, street sidewalks, benches, fountains, street paving, crosswalks , public art and paving, crosswalks , public art and plantings.plantings.

VIA DELL’ ABBONDANZAVIA DELL’ ABBONDANZA

Elevated sidewalks

Street paving

Street ruts

Crosswalks

Street width Street curve

DrainageDrainage On either side of the principal streets there were On either side of the principal streets there were

raised pavements or sidewalksraised pavements or sidewalks As the streets contained running water and As the streets contained running water and

garbage, large stepping stones were placed to garbage, large stepping stones were placed to enable pedestrians to cross. Ancient wagons were enable pedestrians to cross. Ancient wagons were usually high enough to clear the stones.usually high enough to clear the stones.

Stepping stones were made from volcanic tufa Stepping stones were made from volcanic tufa Since they were intended to make the Since they were intended to make the pedestrian's life easier, they tell pedestrian's life easier, they tell something about the expected or something about the expected or customary flow of traffic and perhaps customary flow of traffic and perhaps reveal the extent or status of that traffic reveal the extent or status of that traffic

Paving in PompeiiPaving in Pompeii The center of the road is raised The center of the road is raised

to allow water to run off into to allow water to run off into the gutters. The small white the gutters. The small white stones, ingeniously inserted stones, ingeniously inserted randomly between the large randomly between the large stones, allowed people and stones, allowed people and animals to see the road after animals to see the road after dark. Sidewalks, provided on dark. Sidewalks, provided on each side of the road for each side of the road for pedestrians, also often pedestrians, also often contained some white tiles or contained some white tiles or small white stones to aid small white stones to aid nighttime visibility.nighttime visibility.

The closer one moves to the The closer one moves to the Forum, the more frequent the Forum, the more frequent the white stones.white stones.

Note the shape and size of the Note the shape and size of the paving stones. The stones were paving stones. The stones were particularly well fitted together, particularly well fitted together, with gaps less than 3mm.with gaps less than 3mm.

Streets varied in width, reflecting the relative Streets varied in width, reflecting the relative volume of pedestrian and wheeled trafficvolume of pedestrian and wheeled traffic

Innocents Abroad- Mark TwainInnocents Abroad- Mark Twain

STREET FOUNTAINSSTREET FOUNTAINS

At many of the street intersection , public fountains, with sculptured headstones over rectangular stone troughs, provided water for the inhabitants. These were fed by lead pipes running beneath the sidewalks from two huge cisterns, one at the Vesuvius Gate( high up in the town) and the other near the Forum Baths. The water to these cisterns was via an aquaduct which fed Neopolis and MisenumSo far 42 public fountains have been excavated at Pompeii and 3 at Herculaneum

The location of fountains may be significant in that they could indicate neighborhoods groupings. The decoration of the fountains could also indicate the status of both the neighborhood in comparison to other neighborhoods, and the status of the patron of the fountain. One of the best-know examples of fountains at Pompeii lies at the juncture of the forum and the beginning of one of the main thoroughfares, the Via Dell’Abbondanza. The basin of the fountain is unusual in that it is carved from limestone rather than lesser quality stone, and in addition has a fine sculpture of the goddess Fortuna/Concordia with the spigot still visible.

Standpipes-Standpipes-aa high vertical pipe or reservoir that is used to high vertical pipe or reservoir that is used to

secure a uniform pressure in a water-supply systemsecure a uniform pressure in a water-supply system

Sculptured head, and potruding Sculptured head, and potruding pipe. pipe.

Via StabiaeVia Stabiae

Public Shrine

The manner in which intersections received varying degrees of emphasis by the concentration in them of elements that might be called "urban furniture," i.e., fountains, shrines, arches, standpipes, these features and the manner in which the elements along the Strada Stabiana inflected pedestrian traffic toward the forum are discussed by William Westfall and Mark Schimmenti in the report of The Forum Project.

Planting in PompeiiPlanting in Pompeii The fact that much of the courtyard at the The fact that much of the courtyard at the

temple of Venus appears to have been temple of Venus appears to have been paved certainly would not be a hindrance paved certainly would not be a hindrance to the planting of vegetation. A number to the planting of vegetation. A number of later public squares and courtyards of later public squares and courtyards associated with temples in Rome were associated with temples in Rome were paved, but they had cuttings or spaces paved, but they had cuttings or spaces left in the paving to accommodate trees, left in the paving to accommodate trees, bushes, planting beds and water bushes, planting beds and water features.features.

Excavation in the north-west part of the Excavation in the north-west part of the courtyard, however, shows that at least courtyard, however, shows that at least along the tufa water channel in front of along the tufa water channel in front of the northern colonnade there was no the northern colonnade there was no paving. Instead, plantings were inserted paving. Instead, plantings were inserted here. Evidence for a row of such here. Evidence for a row of such plantings, perhaps myrtle bushes sacred plantings, perhaps myrtle bushes sacred to Venus, are the complete and to Venus, are the complete and fragmentary terracotta planting pots fragmentary terracotta planting pots inserted into pits, the root cavities of inserted into pits, the root cavities of bushes or small trees, and the voids left bushes or small trees, and the voids left by wooden stakes to prop up whatever by wooden stakes to prop up whatever was growing in this planting bed (insert was growing in this planting bed (insert fig. 8). It is not known at the present time fig. 8). It is not known at the present time where the boundary between the mortar-where the boundary between the mortar-paved area and the planting bed lay. paved area and the planting bed lay. 

The Temple of Venus at Pompeii

Factors influencing the Urban form Factors influencing the Urban form of Pompeiiof Pompeii

CulturalReligious,

Socialartistic

GeographicalPort,River

Fertilityclimate

EconomicService center for exchange

Of goodsFrom port

and hinterland

PoliticalPublic and

Private spacesCentral role

Of the forum

Historical Influences

OscanGreek

EtruscanRoman

Urban form

HERCULANEUMHERCULANEUM

Herculaneum- a unique planHerculaneum- a unique plan

Although only thirty percent of Herculaneum has been excavated , Although only thirty percent of Herculaneum has been excavated , major differences are apparent.major differences are apparent.

The towns orderly succession of rectangular blocks is Greek in its The towns orderly succession of rectangular blocks is Greek in its inceptioninception

Unlike the streets of Pompeii, road surfaces were smooth stone, Unlike the streets of Pompeii, road surfaces were smooth stone, with no signs of heavy trafficwith no signs of heavy traffic

Stepping stones were not necessary due to the underground Stepping stones were not necessary due to the underground drainage systemdrainage system

No evidence of extensive manufacturing, although there is No evidence of extensive manufacturing, although there is evidence of fishing and skilled craftsmen evidence of fishing and skilled craftsmen

To date, no brothels have been foundTo date, no brothels have been found The main street of Herculaneum is 40 feet wide with 12 feet The main street of Herculaneum is 40 feet wide with 12 feet

sidewalks on either side. Sidewalks are protected by overhanging sidewalks on either side. Sidewalks are protected by overhanging roofs.roofs.

Due to the different volcanic experience, whole two storey houses Due to the different volcanic experience, whole two storey houses have been preserved as well as carbonized wooden features.have been preserved as well as carbonized wooden features.

AERIAL VIEW- HERCULANEUMAERIAL VIEW- HERCULANEUM