This is Pompeii, an ancient city located near Naples, Italy. I could not choose a specific building because the entire city as a collective was just so impressive. The city was buried in ash for several centuries due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, so many structures are well preserved and each building told a different part of the story. The architecture gave me a peak in the life of people that inhabited this area almost two thousand years ago.

There are a variety of buildings, the most impressive ones for me were the elegant homes of the wealthy that included beautifully preserved courtyards, fountains and frescoes. The bath houses were also something to be admired because I could not believe that the infrastructure and technology was available for such efficient water distribution. Although, part of the tour did state that lead pipes that created such magnificent bath houses and fountains were also harmful to the residents of Pompeii because they were made out of lead.

Two other buildings that also caught my eye were the Temple of Apollo and a brothel. The temple is not as well preserved as some of the other buildings; however, it features columns, podiums and steps that just make the temple look important and highlight the influence of Roman and Greek architecture. Another feature that makes the Temple of Apollo stand out is its location, the temple is centered to align with Mount Vesuvius, so it makes for an impressive sight to have such a powerful force of nature be the backdrop for a building. The second building that caught my eye was one of the brothels in town, because it shows that architecture serves all kinds of purposes, and honestly, I was not expecting to see this kind of building featured in the tour. The brothel had many small rooms with beds that also included a pillow made out of stone.

The entire city of Pompeii is a great experience.  I loved being able to see the purpose that architecture served in this ancient town, the materials used for construction, and how the ingenuity of the builders of Pompeii created such a magnificent city.