The buried city of Pompeii has been described as one of the most intriguing archaeological sites on the planet. It's also one of the most famous.

It all happened long ago in August 24, 79 AD, when Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted so violently that it literally blew its top off. The massive explosion sent huge amounts of volcanic stream, cinders and ash high into the sky, which then showered down on Pompeii completely burying the city.

Out of the 20,000 inhabitants, around 2,000 lost their lives. The ones who had stayed too long trying to collect belongings and valuables would have died instantly form toxic volcanic fumes.

The city was completely preserved in ash fall. It's an archeologist's dream come true. Today, most of Pompeii's streets and buildings (including temples, theatres, shops etc) have been uncovered. Uncovering Pompeii has given us unique insight into daily Roman life back in 79 AD.