Pompeii Oven

My wife and I just returned from a fabulous trip traveling throughout Italy. While visiting Sorrento and Naples, the birthplace of pizza, we explored the nearby historic ruins of Pompeii. I had read about the ancient brick ovens that were unearthed at Pompeii and I built my own oven based on a Pompeii design. So, as you can imagine, I was looking forward to seeing these ovens for myself.

When we arrived at Pompeii, I was not prepared for the scale of the historic site. It is a huge city of ruins spread out over acres and acres of hills. If you ever plan to visit be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. After exploring for about two hours, I came across an oven that was in prefect condition. I was amazed at how big it was. The oven, made of clay brick, was well vented with its chimney in tack. It was clearly used in a neighborhood bread shop. I could imagine that the people of Pompeii must have enjoyed pizza and wine that was better than what you can find in most modern cities today.