Mount Vesuvius is a volcano which rises 1 277 m above sea level near the Gulf of Naples, Italy. Mount Vesuvius is the only active volcano in mainland Europe. Its crater is 216 m deep and has a circumference of 1 400 m. The diameter of its base is more than 3 km.

Mount Vesuvius' most famous eruption on 24 August 79 destroyed the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius spewed a huge column of black smoke from its bowels, hot ash and rock chunks poured down, and the air became saturated with poisonous gases. The inhabitants of Pompeii who had not left the city were buried beneath the ruined buildings and layers of volcanic ash, or suffocated by the poisonous gases.

Six major eruptions of the volcano were recorded during the 20th century, the last eruption of Mount Vesuvius being in 1944 and was relatively minor.

Vote:
Rating 5 from 1 voted Mount Vesuvius, Italy