Pompei archaeological park completes 13-year restoration project

The Great Pompeii Project, a massive restoration and recovery initiative funded by the European Union and the Italian government, has been completed after 13 years of work. The project was launched in March 2012 following the collapse of the Schola Armaturarum and severe weather events in 2011 that left only 5 of 60 domus accessible. The European Commission approved the project with an investment of €78 million from European cohesion funds out of a total of €105 million. Nicola de Michelis, Director of the Regional Policy Directorate General of the European Commission, visited the archaeological park to mark the conclusion. A total of 76 interventions were carried out across nearly 3 km of excavation fronts to secure buildings, and 45 domus were restored. Numerous archaeological artifacts were unearthed and are now housed in a site that has been upgraded with a new accessible itinerary for people with reduced mobility, improved services, surveillance, and technological equipment. Visitor numbers increased from 2.3 million to 3.8 million per year, revenue more than doubled from €19 million to €40 million, and local economic impact rose by 130% for overnight stays and 30% for restaurants.