The Martusciello Gallery reopens the doors of the Ancient Beach of Ercolano

The reopening of this connection, explains a note from the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, is possible thanks to the realization of the works foreseen in the same works contract that affected the Ancient Beach and the sea front, with renovation and enhancement interventions which, in June 2024, allowed the opening of the beach area to the public, also aiming at visual reunification with the Villa dei Papiri. The new structure now makes it possible to make the relationship between the Gallery, the arches and the ancient coastline more direct and engaging, giving the public an access route capable of bringing together some of the most suggestive and emotionally intense places of the archaeological site.

In the Martusciello Gallery the route has been completely renovated: the previous walking grid, which covered the tuff steps, has been replaced by a new system integrated with lighting. A solution designed not only to make the passage of visitors safer and more evocative, but also to facilitate maintenance along the entire route, especially in the area of ​​the water collection tanks and collection pumps, essential elements for the correct functioning of the disposal system of the entire Ancient Beach basin. The light thus accompanies the descent towards the ancient coast with discreet and immersive effects, until the arrival on the beach, where two symmetrical side ramps make the path easier and allow two-way transit, both in and out.

There is an almost moving sense in this return: whoever enters the Martusciello Gallery today relives, in their own small way, the gesture of whoever two thousand years ago landed in Herculaneum right here, from the sea. Those arriving by water saw the city opening up before them in exactly this way: first the arches, the ancient boat shelters which later became the place of the last night for hundreds of people from Herculaneum, and immediately after the scenographic monumental terrace dedicated to Marco Nonio Balbo, designed from the beginning to welcome and impress those arriving from the sea.

«Reopening the Martusciello Gallery means giving back to visitors an experience that goes beyond the simple visit: it is the possibility of reliving, by walking, the same gaze that two thousand years ago rested on this city arriving from the sea. It is an important piece in the process of valorising the Ancient Beach and the sea front, made possible by the daily work of all the Park’s professionals”, declares the director of the Archaeological Park of Ercolano, Federica Colaiacomo.

Two different lighting systems were designed, one inserted on the side of the new grating for safe walking along the walking surface, the other, not visible from the path, is inserted between the external side of the ramp and the tunnel dug into the volcanic material, and creates indirect lighting of the tunnel itself, with the possibility of selecting infinite colors of light, even evocative of the eruptive material. Behind the reopening of the ramp there is the coordinated work of many different professionals from the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, which oversaw the technical direction, and the Packard foundations responsible for drafting the executive project and also offering support during the works. Thanks to the joint commitment, often silent and never taken for granted, of archaeologists, architects, engineers and restorers, who monitor every day the conservation of the ancient structures, of the security personnel who monitor the routes and accompany visitors safely, of the ticket office and the communication office which make information accessible to the public, up to the administrative offices which make every intervention possible, it is possible to give back an extra piece of Herculaneum to the city and its visitors every day.