T11 Pompeii. Tower XI. Torre di Mercurio.

Part 1      Part 2      Towers plan

According to Van der Graaff –

“Today, the twelve towers built into the Pompeian circuit are in ruins, their tall structures toppled during the earthquake of the 60s CE and the eruption of Vesuvius…………………..

Each tower consisted of three floors supported by barrel vaults and interconnected by means of rear internal stairways. A door in the back provided access to the city side, and one on either flank opened on the wall-walk. A small postern in the ground floor usually opened onto the exterior side of the defences.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.71/2). (See p.71-81 – The Towers).

Tower XI and Town Walls at end of Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. April 2022.

On the right is part of VI.9.1. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Town Walls at end of Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. August 2023.

Detail of walls on east side of Tower XI, with Mason’s marks. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI and Town Walls at end of Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. April 2022.

Detail of interior of Town Wall on east side of Tower. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Tower XI at end of Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking north, with VI.7.26, the last doorway on the left. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

T11 Pompeii. June 2012. Tower XI, south side at end of Via Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

See Notizie degli Scavi, 1943, (p.275-294),

for article entitled “Isolation of the wall between Porta Vesuvius and Herculaneum Gate.”

(Isolamento della cinta murale fra Porta Vesuvio e Porta Ercolano).

T11 Pompeii. June 2012. Tower XI, on left, looking north-east along walls from end of Via Mercurio.

On the extreme right is the north-west corner of insula 9. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

City Wall on east side of Tower XI, on north side of Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking east towards Tower X, with VI.9.1, on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

VI.9.1 Pompeii. W.661. Looking north-east towards north-west corner of insula 9, on Via Mercurio.

Photo by Tatiana Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

VI.9.1 Pompeii. W.651. Looking east at north-west corner of insula 9, near Tower XI.

Photo by Tatiana Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

T11 Pompeii. Tower XI. July 2011.

South side, at end of Via di Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. South side of Tower, with City Walls on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

T11 Pompeii. Tower XI. September 2004. South side, and city walls on east side.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking north-west across south side of Tower. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

On page 74 of his book, Van der Graaff points out the differences in the towers and divides them into four types –

“Group One. This includes Towers X, XI and XII.

They feature an entrance on the rear right side of the building opening up on two sets of stairs: one heads straight down to the first floor, the other ascends to the second floor on the left. This setup allows for the presence of arrow slits at the corner of the staircases. The first floor is a wide-open barrel vaulted chamber. A door in the back opens on a rear corridor heading to the postern placed on the right side of the building. On the second floor, two doors opened onto the wall-walk, whereas another staircase in the back gave access to the top third floor.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.74).

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Upper east end on south side. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. West end of south side of Tower. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

T11 Pompeii. Tower XI. September 2004. South side.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Base of Tower on south side. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff –

“The remains of two early gates have emerged: one sealed beneath Tower XI and the other at the current Porta Vesuvio.

The Via di Mercurio, which has a dead end on the tower, may be an urban fossil of what was once a main artery to the Forum.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.32 and Note 34).

T11 Pompeii. September 2005. Base of Tower XI at end of Via di Mercurio.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking west across base of Tower at north end of Via di Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking towards west side of Via di Mercurio, with steps on south-west side of Tower XI. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

T11 Pompeii. September 2005. Steps on south-west side of Tower XI at end of Via di Mercurio.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east across base of tower. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

T11 Pompeii. Tower XI at the north end of Via Mercurio.

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

T11 Pompeii. Tower XI. 1890-1900. Tower south side.

Photo by Peter Paul Mackey (1851-1935) courtesy of British School at Rome Digital Collections.

See https://digitalcollections.bsr.ac.uk/islandora/object/MACKEY:1501

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Detail of doorway onto balcony on east end of south side. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking west towards remaining decoration on east side of doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Detail of remaining decoration. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Detail of remaining decoration on upper east side of doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking towards east wall at side of entrance doorway on south side of tower.

Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking north along east wall near doorway of tower. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking north from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

According to Van der Graaff -

“The postern and the stairs heading down to the main chamber of Tower XI was walled up in antiquity in a similar fashion to Tower VIII, but it remains unclear when or why this happened.”

See Van der Graaff, I. (2018). The Fortifications of Pompeii and Ancient Italy. Routledge, (p.135 and Note 104).

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

North wall with arrow slit window in corridor/steps from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. North wall on lower floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. North wall of room on lower floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking north through window on west end of north wall of lower floor room. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking through window towards south-east corner of lower room. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

South wall of lower room, with arched doorway, on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

South-west corner of lower room, and arched doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Corridor/passageway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Corridor/passageway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Corridor leading down to postern. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Detail of arrow slit window in north wall near postern. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking east through window near postern gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east towards postern gate. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east through postern. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking down steps from middle floor towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

South wall of middle floor with steps down to entrance doorway through arched doorway, on right. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. South wall of middle floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking through arched doorway towards north wall of middle floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking towards west wall of middle floor in north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. North wall of middle floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. North wall and north-east corner of room on middle floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. August 2023.

Looking through window in north-east corner along Walls towards Tower X. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Arrow slit windows in north-east corner and east wall of middle floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. South wall of middle floor, with steps and doorway leading up to upper floor, on left.

On right, doorway in west wall leading onto wall/walk. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010.

Middle floor, steps at east end of south wall, leading up to upper floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south-west across upper floor. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west from Tower along top of city wall. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. August 2023. Looking west from Tower XI towards Sorrentine peninsula and Capri. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI, Pompeii. August 2023. Looking south-west from Tower across VI.5 and VI.2. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI, Pompeii. January 2023.

Looking south-west from Tower XI towards Sorrentine peninsula, with garden pond of VI.7.23, lower centre right.

Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

Tower XI, Pompeii. August 2023.

Looking south-west from Tower across VI.7, with atrium of VI.7.23 on lower left, and garden on lower right. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south-west from Tower towards VI.7. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. January 2023. Looking south along Via Mercurio, from Tower XI. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south from Tower along Via di Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Tower XI, Pompeii. 1978. Looking south along Via Mercurio. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.  

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. 1964. Looking south from Tower XI.  Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J64f1008

Via di Mercurio, Pompeii. 1961.  Looking south from Tower XI.  Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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Via di Mercurio. 1959. Looking south from Tower XI. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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Tower XI, Pompeii. January 2023.

Looking south-east from Tower XI, with VI.9.1 in lower centre, on east side of Via Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

Tower XI, Pompeii. January 2023.

Looking south-east from Tower XI towards modern Pompeii, across VI.9, VI.11 and towards VI.15. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

Tower XI, Pompeii. August 2023. Looking south-east from Tower across VI.11 towards VI.15. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

Tower XI, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south-east from Tower across VI.9. Photo courtesy of Ivo van der Graaff.

Part 2      Towers plan