Ruins of Pompeii. These ruined buildings were part of the Roman city of Pompeii, located in the Bay of Naples, Italy. This city which was ruined and buried during an eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 AD. The city was rediscovered and excavated in the 18th and 19th centuries, and today it is a tourist destination visited by millions every year. This area is part of the old town, with building walls in the foreground and grander buildings with columns higher up the hill. The buildings with columns would include temples and large public buildings, such as those surrounding the forum, the city's central meeting place and marketplace.