Vesuvius is an active explosive volcano (in a quiescent state since 1944), located in Campania, in the territory of the national park established in 1995. Its height, in 2010, is 1,281 m, is situated within a caldera 4 km in diameter. This is what is left of the former volcanic edifice (Monte Somma) after the great eruption of AD 79, which caused the collapse of the south-eastern side at which it is subsequently formed the present crater. It is currently the only active volcano in all of continental Europe.
It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world studied, due to the fact that on its slopes there live about 700,000 people and the consequences of the eruption would be extremely devastating.
This is a volcano particularly interesting for its history and the frequency of its eruptions.
Vesuvius has a primacy in the world, namely that of being the first volcano to be studied systematically (by the will of the ruling House of Bourbon), studies that continue to work the Vesuvius Observatory. Dates back to 1841 (by the will of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies) the construction of an observatory and one can say that volcanology, as a real scientific discipline, born in those years.
It is believed that up to 400,000 years ago the area of Vesuvius has been subject to volcanic activity, an eruption occurred 39,000 years ago really huge where they issued up to 15 km ³ of magma, but it seems that the mountain has started forming 30,000 years ago, probably as a submarine volcano in the Gulf of Naples, later emerged as an island, joined to the mainland for the accumulation of material ejected.
Between 19,000 years ago and 79 A.D. took place a series of violent eruptions interspersed with quiet periods of the volcano. The origin of the mountain to the main events have been attributed different names:
Codola (25.000 years ago)
Sarno- pumices, (17.000 years ago)
greenish pumices (15.500 years ago)
Octavian's Market or pumice  (7.900 years ago)
Avellino pumice (dated between 1880 and 1680 BC)
Pompeii (79 A.D.)
Since 1944 there has been no its eruptions.