Vesuvius & Campi Flegrei

Images of Vesuvius' historical eruptions

Paintings, photos and drawings of eruptions. The catastrophic event of 79 AD is treated only briefly as no realistic images are available from that time. Clicking the images will bring up larger versions (60-80K). Texts in collaboration with P. Burger, K. Egli, A. Elmiger, M. Favre, S. Graf, K. Mettler, class 6a HS 2000/01 of KZU Bülach, Switzerland. «A&F» refers to tables in: «Die Geschichte des Vesuv: illustriert nach gleichzeitigen Urkunden» by G. B. Alfano und I. Friedlaender; Berlin : Reimer, 1929

63 AD: Strong earthquakes cause widespread damage in Pompeji. In 79 AD, at the time of the catastrophic eruption on Vesuvius, repairs had still been in progress. Even in Naples the earthquake was strongly felt. The picture on the left shows Vesuvius before 79 AD. There is only one summit and the mountain is overgrown with vineyards. Bacchus, god of wine, symbolises the fertility and tranquility of the region.

79 – 1631: 79 AD Pompeji was destroyed by a great plinian Eruption and buried under its ash deposits. A lahar destroyed Herculaneum. At least 2000 people perished. After 79 AD until about 1500 many eruptions were recorded, some of them big, such as the ones in 203, 472, 512, 685, 787, 968, 991, 999, 1007, 1037 and 1139. For example the great eruption of 5.-6. November 472 AD produced tremendous amounts of tephra. Ash apparently even reached Konstantinopolis. From the end of the 13. century until 1631 there was a quiet phase.

1631 (A&F: T 5a,b: before and after the eruption) From July till December many earthquakes occurred, ash and steam was emitted and glowing fractures opened on Vesuvius' flanks. Animals were restless and fountains dried up. On 16. December major eruptions started. Local people fled to Naples. On 17. December destructive lahars occurred and a lava flow moved towards the sea. on the 16th activity decreased and a rescue expedition by sea was launched with on the 19th. However, 4000 people had lost their lives already. 1660 another big eruption followed. In 1694 lava flowed towards Romito del Salvatore and Torre del Greco.

1751 (A&F: T 13; Mecatti) On 25. October 1751a lateral eruption started in a fracture on the SE side of the mountain. Giovanni della Torre describes the effect of lava flows in a forest. Dry wood burst into flames immediately, whereas green wood was dragged along with the lava flow, only starting to burn after a considerable time.



1755 (A&F: T 15; Della Torre) This sketch by Della Torre shows the central crater in a quiescent phase. It is almost filled to the rim with lava. In the centre a small spatter cone has formed.

1760 (A&F: T 16; Mecatti) 1760 lava emerged again from a fracture in Vesuvius' flank. Lava followed roughly the same path as in 1631 towards Torre Annunziata and nearly reached the sea. After the eruption of 1760 Vesuvius was quiet for six years.



1771 (A&F: T 21; Saint Non) In February 1770 explosive activity started. The central cone grew, and in 1776 a lateral eruption started with a lava flow on the south flank.

Image: 1775 | eruption of 1779: (A&F: T 23; Della Torre) In July 1797 earthquakes were felt and a lava flow stared. In the evening of 8. August a terrifying explosion occurred. Lightning was observed in the eruption column and finally a lava fountain was ejected from the crater causing tephra falls in Ottaviano. More explosions happened on 9. August and 11. August. A deep vent had formed in the main crater. Then the volcano became inactive for 3 years.

1794 (P. Alessandro D'Anna in: P. Gasparini S. 234: Un Viaggio al Vesuvio, Liguori Editore) Starting in June 1794 earthquakes were felt and wells once more dried up. On 15. June a plinian eruption cloud with lightning rose above the volcano. Towards the evening two fractures opened on the south-western and the north-eastern slope of Vesuvius, each emitting a lava flow. Note the procession in the foreground. In the back a lava flow which threatens Torre del Greco.



1794 (A&F; T 27; G. Morghen) On 16. June the lava flow reached Torre del Greco and flowed right through it towards the coast. This was the third time since 1631 that Torre del Greco became buried by lava. Compare this map (A&F; T 33).



1794 (A&F; T 29) In the foreground the partially destroyed town of Torre del Greco with spire of the church San Croce. The lava is still steaming. However it must have cooled enough to allow the construction of a new road.



1817: (A&F; T 37) After a brief quiet phase after 1814 new explosive activity resumed in 1817. Fractures on Vesuvius' flank led to lateral eruptions. Note the white steam or smoke coming from a lava flow in December 1817.

1822 (Scrope) In 1822 a plinian eruption occurred and was accompanied by huge lava flows. Just above the volcano there seems to be little wind; however at greater altitude an easterly wind drives the ash towards the east, away from the observer. As seen from space, the scene would probably have looked very similar to the one caused by the eruption of Rabaul in 1995. Note the lightning within or near the eruption column. After 1834 activity was limited to the interior of the main crater for some time.



1822 (A&F; T 43; Griffoni) Periods of lower level activity were favourable to visits of the crater area. This is why such times are well documented like in this image. Note how fumaroles are mainly on the interior walls of the crater, thus having little adverse effects on the climbers.



1830 (A&F; T 45; Busse) Persistent, relatively quiet degassing is seen also on this picture showing the ruins of Pompeji in the foreground. Towards the end of 1833 activity again increased sharply and lava flows were observed. In 1839 and 1850 lateral eruptions occurred.


1858 (A&F; T 58) In May 1858 six radial fractures opened on the slopes of Vesuvius and a number of hornitos were formed which soon became a major tourist attraction as is shown on this painting. Overall the volcano produced huge amounts of lava until 1861. One particular valley was filled to a depth of 100m..


1861 (A&F; T 60; Fergola) In December 1861 many earthquakes happened and very low on Vesuvius' slope a fracture opened (on the right), which later extended down right to the coast. On the upper end of the fracture vents formed spatter cones. Many people fled from the area. LAter on, another fracture opened in Torre del Greco and many houses were destroyed.



1872 (A&F; T 76; Albert Heim) 1872 another lateral eruption followed. A lava flow from the NW side destroyed the towns of San Sebastiano and Massa. 20 hikers, who were surprised by the eruption, were killed. These two drawings of the Swiss Geologist Albert Heim show the situation before and after the emplacement of the lava flow (coloured brown).



1872 The end of the eruption was marked by a spectacular summit explosion which is seen in this early photograph taken from Naples. After the ejection of a lot of lava the summit cone collapsed and the phase of activity terminated.

1874-1880 (A&F; T 85 and 86) Starting in 1878 slow effusive lateral eruption occurred. The lava sometimes piled up forming domes as in 1880-1894 (Colle Margherita: 160m high, which today is covered and invisible) and in 1895-1899 (Colle Umbert, also 160m). In this time period a total of 86 million cubic maters of lava were erupted.



1900 (A&F; T 75 and 76) 1900 a powerful paroxysm happened which ejected meter size blocks. These photos are of a much smaller eruption within the central crater, as seen from its rim.



1900-1906 (A&F; T 83 and 84) As of 1904 activity within the main crater was continuous. In 1905 Vesuvius reached the highest ever measured altitude of 1335m.a.s.l. In 1906 the most lava was erupted of all historic eruptions. One lava flow destroyed the town of Boscotrecase. Cook's cable car to the summit was also destroyed (see photos).



1906 (A&F; T 43; Busse) Scoriae at that time even fell in Naples finally making a layer one meter deep. Closer to Vesuvius houses collapsed. In the church of San Giuseppe 105 people were killed. After the eruption Vesuvius' height was reduced by 107 meters to 1223m. LAter rainfalls led to several lahars. 100'000 refugees came to Naples. 1929 a smaller eruption followed.



1944 The last historic eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 1944. One of its lava flows destroyed the towns of San Sebastiano and Massa. 47 people got killed. Lava fountains from the central crater reached altitudes of up to 700m and the ash column reached 5000m above the crater. Winds carried ash as far as Albania.