Mount Vesuvius rises to a height of 1,280 metres above the Gulf of Naples in Italy. It is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted over the last one hundred years.
Mount Vesuvius 2026
Mount Vesuvius 2026 IJ
Mount Vesuvius 2026
The most prominent eruption occurred in 79AD when clouds of stones and ash buried the cities of Pompei and Herculaneum.
Mount Vesuvius Eruption 79AD
Further large eruptions occurred in 472 and 1631. After a period of dormancy, there was a period of activity with eruptions in 1794, 1822, 1872, and 1906.
The last eruption occurred in March 1944 during World War Two when Allied forces were engaged in the Third Battle of Monte Casino. Initially the volcanic activity was confined to the rim, then on the 18th March lava began to flow down the mountain destroying villages. An explosive eruption on the 24th March created an ash cloud that destroyed around 80 aircraft of the US Army Air Force 340th Bombardment Group. Hot ash falling over a number of days damaged fabric control surfaces, engines, as well as Plexiglas windscreens and gun turrets.
Mount Vesuvius eruption 1944
Mount Vesuvius eruption 1944
Mount Vesuvius eruption 1944
Mount Vesuvius eruption 1944 Damaged B-25 of USAF 340th Bombardment Group
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