Pompeii fresco restoration. Archaeologists removing a layer of protective gauze from a fresco taken from the Murecine hotel in Pompeii, Italy. The fresco will be restored and replaced on the walls of the ruins of the hotel. Murecine was a large hotel located just outside the town of Pompeii, Italy. This was a thriving town of some 20,000 inhabitants before it was destroyed by the eruption of the nearby volcano Vesuvius on 26th August 79 AD. Buildings, statues, works of art and everyday items were preserved, revealing much about life at the time. Pompeii is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.