A Dangerous Giant

The inhabitants of Naples have been coexisting with Mount Vesuvius for some 3,000 years. This mountain is located just seven miles [11 km] from Naples. It is actually a cone within the rim of ancient Monte Somma. Vesuvius ranks among the most dangerous volcanoes on earth. Since its base lies below sea level, the mountain is much larger than it appears.

Mount Vesuvius has a long history of activity. It has come to life more than 50 times since the famous eruption of 79 C.E., which destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. About 4,000 people were killed during a destructive eruption in 1631. At that time the word “lava” came into use. Derived from the Latin labi, meaning “to slide,” it aptly describes the lava flows that run down the steep slopes of Vesuvius.

Throughout the centuries Vesuvius has continued to simmer. It erupted in 1944 during World War II, greeting Allied troops with clouds of ash. The nearby towns of Massa and San Sebastiano were engulfed, as was the famous mountainside funicular railcar popularized in the Italian folk song “Funiculì, Funiculà.”

Today, the inhabitants of Naples seem to go about their lives oblivious of the danger that is so near. Tourists marvel at the historical and architectural landmarks. Shops and cafés bustle with activity, and white sails dot the waters of the Bay of Naples. Vesuvius itself remains a popular attraction and is viewed more as a friendly companion than a dangerous slumbering giant.

Vesuvius is under constant surveillance. Erring on the side of caution, Italian authorities have developed emergency plans to cope with an eruption of the magnitude of the one that occurred in 1631. Experts claim that those who live in the danger zone can be warned and evacuated before an eruption occurs.

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Visitors walking near the main crater of Vesuvius

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©Danilo Donadoni/​Marka/​age fotostock

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Naples, Italy, in front of Mount Vesuvius

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© Tom Pfeiffer

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An artist’s impression of the great eruption of 79 C.E., which destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum

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© North Wind Picture Archives