Temple of Apollo

The Temple of Apollo sits at the heart of Pompeii and is among the city's oldest sanctuaries, with origins reaching back to the 6th century BC — predating the Roman urban grid laid out around it. When Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was buried under several meters of ash and pumice, a disaster that paradoxically preserved the temple's structure and artifacts in remarkable detail. Ionic tufa columns still frame the podium, and bronze statues of Apollo and Diana found here — now held at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples — attest to the site's religious importance. Designated an Italian national monument, it is one of the most visited structures within the Pompeii archaeological park, though the uneven paving and steps make it inaccessible for wheelchair users.