Borgo marinaro di Ercolano

The borgo marinaro of Ercolano lies between the modern city and the ancient shoreline of Herculaneum. Its streets and harbour quarter occupy the seaward edge of the city once known as Resina, above the beach where the Roman town met the sea.

Why it matters

The quarter forms part of Ercolano's layered coastal landscape. The eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 buried the Roman city, including its ancient beach and boat shelters, where the remains of about 300 people were found. Above that shoreline, the maritime quarter of Resina developed beside the excavations.

What to notice

The vertical relationship between the modern streets and the ancient shoreline is central to the place. The Roman boat shelters lie far below the present city level. The nearby Boat Pavilion displays the carbonised hull of a Roman vessel more than nine metres long, found near the ancient beach, along with objects connected with fishing and maritime trade.

Context and history

The quarter belonged to Resina, the former name of the modern city of Ercolano. Its history has developed alongside the excavations, whose Bourbon-era tunnels remain part of the archaeological landscape. The modern town and the Roman shoreline together show how the coast has changed through volcanic burial and later settlement.