Pompeii reopens Casa della Fontana Piccola after restoration

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, the Casa della Fontana Piccola in the Archaeological Park of Pompeii reopens to the public after restoration. The house, a symbol of ancient wealth and prestige located on Via di Mercurio, features a rear garden fountain decorated with colorful mosaics, shells, and bronze copies of a fisherman and a Cupid statue. Peristyle walls display frescoes with panoramic landscapes, including a maritime city scene. Restoration included structural reinforcement of concrete beams in the main atrium using FRP materials, replacement of the atrium roof covering, revision of the peristyle roof for weather protection, waterproofing of all flat roofs, and securing of decorative elements. Work also involved the adjacent Casa della Fontana Grande, with restoration of its masonry facade blocks. The reopening coincides with the fourth edition of the program "Raccontare i cantieri," offering visits to twenty restoration sites in Pompeii and nearby Oplontis, including Scavo IX-10, Casa dell'Atrio, Insula Occidentalis, Terme del Foro, Insula Meridionalis, Necropoli di Porta Stabia, Insula dei Casti Amanti, Civita Giuliana, Casa di Leda, and Granai del Foro. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii recently implemented a daily visitor cap of 20,000.