Pompeii: comprehensive digital monitoring of the archaeological site

What was achieved: digital monitoring at scale

The Archaeological Park of Pompeii has carried out a comprehensive digital survey that records the conservation status across the ancient city. Using a purpose-built web app, technical teams documented structural and decorative elements to create a database for targeted preservation actions.

Key figures

• More than 70,000 records documenting walls, mosaics, floors, plasters and other features.
• Approximately 13,000 rooms surveyed, belonging to about 1,200 cadastral units including houses and workshops.
• Field inspections carried out by multidisciplinary teams—architects, engineers, conservators and archaeologists—over several months.

Technology supporting conservation

The digital platform allows real-time reports with photographs and automatically maps issues into a geographic information system. Since records were created digitally from the start, datasets can be analyzed with AI tools to detect correlations and degradation patterns.

From monitoring to maintenance planning

Reported issues were classified by severity and urgency and scheduled in a three-year plan distinguishing:

• Routine maintenance: handled by internal teams for lower-risk problems;
• Extraordinary maintenance: more complex works—especially on roofs, masonry, mosaics and frescoes—managed through framework agreements.

Impact and outlook

Accurate knowledge of conservation conditions enables faster interventions, better cost estimates, improved resource coordination and gradual expansion of accessible areas. Data analysis also advances understanding of deterioration dynamics and supports knowledge exchange with other sites facing similar risks.

Partnerships and management model

The initiative results from cooperation between the Archaeological Park and academic and technology partners, aiming to combine restoration, planned maintenance and digital tools into a sustainable, replicable management model.

Why this matters

Large-scale digital monitoring shifts site management from emergency-driven responses to preventative, systematic care based on up-to-date information and digital processes. The approach strengthens long-term preservation and improves safety and experience for visitors and local communities.