Pompeii mansion to reopen after private €1.4m restoration begins

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 18:32 · Archive

The House of Marcus Fabius Rufus, Pompeii's grandest known residence, is being restored with funding from German entrepreneur Frank Hoefer.

The House of Marcus Fabius Rufus, believed to be the grandest ancient residence at Pompeii, is undergoing restoration at a cost of 1.4 million euros, entirely funded by German entrepreneur Frank Hoefer. The four-storey house, built on Pompeii's city walls and modelled after Rome's imperial palaces, was buried in Mount Vesuvius's eruption in 79 A.D. and has been inaccessible to the public since 1980.

Hoefer contacted the Archaeological Park of Pompeii after reading superintendent Gabriel Zuchtriegel's 2023 book, Pompeii: The Enchanted City. 'Restoring the spectacular residence of Marcus Fabius Rufus is a project I find exciting,' Hoefer said. 'I also have the impression that Pompeii is very open to innovative approaches to preservation and public access.'

Structural work on the house was completed between 2021 and 2023. Current renovations focus on the frescoes, including the famous Venus of Pompeii in a chapel within the residence. Part of the property is expected to open to guided groups by Christmas.

Superintendent Zuchtriegel said the goal is to expand such private sponsorships to develop the site further. 'This does not mean that from tomorrow on if we had 50 such sponsors we would be able to abolish the entrance ticket, putting it at just a symbolic one-euro price, but it is a perspective towards which we have to work to develop the site,' he said.

How it is being reported

• Pompeii’s largest unearthed home granted $1.6M restoration being funded by private donorPompeii's House of Marcus Fabius Rufus is getting a $1.6M restoration funded by German entrepreneur Frank Hoefer, with plans to reopen by Christmas.New York Post · 21 Oct, 18:21
• Pompeii mansion to be restored after £1.1m donation from private sponsorGerman entrepreneur Frank Hoefer was inspired after reading the 2023 book, Pompeii: The Enchanted CityIndependent World · 21 Oct, 07:04

In this story: Frank Hoefer · Marcus Fabius Rufus · Gabriel Zuchtriegel · Pompeii · Mount Vesuvius · Archaeological Park of Pompeii

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