The Tower of Mercury, Pompei

The Tower of Mercury is nestled within the ancient city of Pompeii. Built into the northwestern segment of the city's wall, the tower is famed for offering visitors breathtaking panoramic views of Pompeii from its summit. As a popular tourist attraction, the Tower of Mercury is celebrated for the unique perspective it provides of the city's ruins, allowing visitors to capture the essence of Pompeii through their lenses.

This tower, which dates back to after the 3rd century, was one of several constructed along the city walls to serve as lookout points. From its vantage point, one can gaze upon the entirety of Pompeii, appreciating its ancient beauty from the highest accessible point. The Tower of Mercury, with its ground floor and two additional upper floors, culminates in a spacious embattled terrace. This terrace was historically used as a patrol launching point, where guards would commence their rounds along the city's fortifications.

A distinctive feature of the tower is the visible imprints on its wall—marks left by the round stones launched by the catapults of Silla's army during the siege in 90 B.C. These scars between the Porta Ercolano and Porta Vesuvio gates serve as a tangible reminder of Pompeii's tumultuous past.

Initially erected as a crucial defensive outpost, the Tower of Mercury's role evolved, especially during periods of peace such as the Pax Romana, when its military importance likely diminished. Intriguingly, it is speculated that the tower's apex remained visible even after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., protruding above the layers of volcanic ash that entombed the city.