Mount Vesuvius rises about 9 km east of Naples, Italy - a modern volcanic cone growing inside the horseshoe-shaped remnant of an older, larger volcano called Monte Somma. This 3D explorer shows both the modern cone and the ancient caldera rim that survives only as a partial ridge open toward the south.
Published figures: modern cone about 1,281 m; Monte Somma ridge up to about 1,132 m at Punta Nasone; famous for the 79 AD eruption that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum; last erupted in March 1944; about 600,000 people live in today's Red Zone evacuation area around its base.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Everything renders on your device with WebGL.
Mount Vesuvius 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows Mount Vesuvius rising about 9 km east of Naples, Italy - the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years. The modern cone grew inside the horseshoe-shaped remnant of an older, larger volcano called Monte Somma, whose ancient caldera rim survives as a ridge open toward the south, where it collapsed long ago.
Vesuvius is best known for its 79 AD eruption, which buried the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash and pyroclastic material, preserving them for centuries. The volcano has erupted many times since, most recently in March 1944. Today, a "Red Zone" evacuation plan covers roughly 600,000 people living around its base, making it one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the world.
- Toggle the Monte Somma ridge to see the ancient caldera rim that partially encircles the modern cone
- Toggle the hazard zone to see a schematic ring approximating today's evacuation area around the base
- Read height, eruption history, and population figures in the info panel
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Figure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Height (modern cone) | about 1,281 m |
| Monte Somma ridge | about 1,132 m at Punta Nasone, the horseshoe rim's highest point |
| Type | stratovolcano (Somma-Vesuvius complex) |
| Famous eruption | 79 AD - buried Pompeii and Herculaneum, described by Pliny the Younger |
| Last eruption | March 1944 |
| Distance to Naples | about 9 km |
| Red Zone population | about 600,000 people living around its base |
For other volcanoes, explore the Mount Fuji 3D Explorer for a symmetrical stratovolcano cone, or Mount Kilimanjaro 3D Explorer for a free-standing snow-capped peak.
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - the cone profile, Monte Somma ridge, and hazard ring are schematic teaching cues, not survey data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Vesuvius still an active volcano?
Yes. Mount Vesuvius is active and last erupted in March 1944. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, and it is closely monitored for signs of renewed activity.
What is Monte Somma?
Monte Somma is the horseshoe-shaped ridge north of the modern Vesuvius cone. It is the remnant rim of an older, larger volcano whose summit collapsed long ago, leaving an open arc toward the south. The modern cone later grew inside that ancient caldera, so today the two features sit side by side.
What happened at Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD?
In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted violently, burying the nearby Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and pyroclastic material. The eruption killed thousands of people but also preserved the towns in remarkable detail, giving archaeologists a rare window into daily Roman life. The event was documented by the writer Pliny the Younger.
How many people live near Mount Vesuvius today?
About 600,000 people live in the modern "Red Zone" - the area around the volcano's base identified for mandatory evacuation in the event of a major eruption. The nearby city of Naples, with a much larger metropolitan population, sits within view of the volcano about 9 km away.
How tall is Mount Vesuvius?
The modern Vesuvius cone stands about 1,281 m tall. The neighboring Monte Somma ridge, the remnant of an older volcano, reaches about 1,132 m at its highest point, Punta Nasone. Both figures can change slightly after major eruptions reshape the summit.