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All Italy Pompeii The Brothels of Pompeii

The Brothels of Pompeii

Erotic art covers the walls of the largest ancient pleasure palace.

Pompeii, Italy

Added By
Annetta Black
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Fresco erotic scene in the Lupanar   Wiki User: WolfgangRieger
Fresco erotic scene in the Lupanar   Wiki User: WolfgangRieger
The Brothels of Pompeii   spadaadjusting / Atlas Obscura User
The Brothels of Pompeii   Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
The Brothels of Pompeii   http://takewrning.blogspot.com/2012/07/pompeii.html
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
  Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
  drwolff / Atlas Obscura User
The Brothels of Pompeii   Lauren Levesque / Atlas Obscura User
The Brothels of Pompeii   gothik83 / Atlas Obscura User
Ancient graffiti in the Lupanar   Wiki User: Fer.filol
Fresco erotic scene in the Lupanar   Wiki User: WolfgangRieger
Stone bed in the Lupanar   Wiki User: Fer.filol
Lupas lived in the apartments above the lupanar where they worked.   mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
Pompeii wall painting   Unknown Wiki User
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About

The ancient lupanar (brothel) Roman city of Pompeii still stands, its walls still adorned with images of the erotic arts, despite the destruction of the city in a volcanic eruption in 79.

Although most of the erotic art was ushered out of the ancient city and into private collections or the extraordinary collection known as the Gabinetto Segreto in Naples, the frescos in the Lupanar Grande still adorn the walls above stone beds where the prostitutes of Pompeii plied their trade. Other erotic art at Pompeii remains intact at the House of the Vetti and the Suburban Baths.

It is unclear whether the images were intended to act specifically as a sort of sexual menu, enumerating the pleasures available, or if they were merely thematically appropriate atmospheric decoration. The frescos depict graphically sexual scenes, some with more artistry than others. 

Ancient graffiti covers the walls, where 10 small rooms with stone beds once served customers. The Lupanar Grande was the largest of Pompeii's known brothels, most of which were one-room affairs, much more modest than this relative pleasure palace. 

Elsewhere in town, the pricing structure of the brothels are recorded at the Basilica, revealing the very reasonable and varied rates and services available.

Related Tags

Erotic Roman Brothels

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The Lupanar is a few blocks east of the forum at Vico del Lupanare and Vico del Balcone Pensile

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Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

Edited By

Rachel, patricelehocky, savageme42, gothik83...

  • Rachel
  • patricelehocky
  • savageme42
  • gothik83
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Lauren Levesque
  • mocchiatto
  • spadaadjusting
  • drwolff
  • Julius Spada

Published

January 30, 2014

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotic_art_in_Pompeii_and_Herculaneum
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupanar_(Pompeii)
  • Sex, Sight, and Societas in the Lupanar, Pompeii - Sarah Levin-Richardson
  • http://www.spiegel.de/international/pompeii-s-whorehouse-erotic-murals-re-exposed-a-445134.html
The Brothels of Pompeii
Pompeii, 80045
Italy
40.750314, 14.486759

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