Where are the bodies in Pompeii?
You can see thirteen casts in the Garden of the Fugitives and twenty-two in the Large Palaestra. Both are included in your Pompeii ticket. Use Piazza Anfiteatro, the nearest gate for the casts.
By Chiara Vitale · Updated September 19, 2026
- Garden of the Fugitives, Regio I: 9:00–19:00
- Large Palaestra, the casts exhibition, Regio II: 9:15–18:20, last entrance 18:00
- Included in the €20, €25 and €30 tickets; nothing extra to buy
- Nearest gate: Piazza Anfiteatro, from Pompei Santuario station
What are the casts?
Plaster, poured into the hollows the bodies left in the ash. The ash hardened around them. As they decayed, hollows were left behind.
Giuseppe Fiorelli began making casts this way in 1863. A little over a hundred have been made since, of the more than a thousand people found in Pompeii.
These are casts of people who died here. Go quietly. Take your time with the panels.
Archaeological Park of Pompeii, "The Casts". Updated September 19, 2026.
Where exactly, and which to see first
Garden of the Fugitives
They're in a glass case near the back wall of the garden, where the people were found.
Large Palaestra: the casts exhibition
You'll find the permanent exhibition, The Imprint of Pain, in the Large Palaestra's porticoes. The south portico covers the eruption, plants and animals. The north portico holds the casts.
If you've missed the Palaestra's last entry, visit the Garden before 19:00 in summer.
Park list of open buildings, summer season March 16 to October 14; the park's notice on the Palaestra exhibition. Updated September 19, 2026.
How do I get to them?
- Take the Poggiomarino line to Pompei Santuario. Then enter at Piazza Anfiteatro, the nearest gate for the casts.
- Large Palaestra first, if it's before 18:00: the exhibition closes earlier than the site.
- Then visit the Garden of the Fugitives in Regio I. Open until 19:00 in summer.
- Stay inside the site as you walk to the casts. Your ticket doesn't allow re-entry.
Park "How to get there" and list of open buildings. Updated September 19, 2026.
Will a guided tour include the casts?
All tour selections →Check the tour route before you book. What I'd do: book only if the route names the Garden of the Fugitives or the Large Palaestra.
Tour selections compare routes, tickets and meeting points; the tour page shows the route line. Viator listings, updated September 19, 2026.
Before you go
Do I need a special ticket for the casts?
No. The Garden of the Fugitives and the Palaestra exhibition are inside the site and open with any Pompeii ticket: €20, €25 or €30. In summer, enter the site by 17:30. The Palaestra's last entry is 18:00; it closes at 18:20.
Are the casts real bodies?
They're plaster. The bodies decayed inside the hardened ash and left hollows; the plaster filled the hollows.
When did the Palaestra exhibition open?
March 12, 2026. It's permanent: twenty-two casts in the north portico, the eruption, plants and animals in the south portico.
Is it suitable for children?
Explain what the casts are before you go. The Palaestra exhibition includes casts of people who died here. What I'd do: let your child stop if they don't want to continue.
Can I take a bag in?
Up to 30 × 30 × 15 cm. Bigger bags stay at the cloakroom by the gate; the site has one at each of the three entrances.
How many casts are there?
A little over a hundred, made since 1863, from more than a thousand people found in Pompeii. You can see thirteen in the Garden of the Fugitives and twenty-two in the Large Palaestra.
Park ticket table and list of open buildings. Updated September 19, 2026.