Read more on the glorious Temple of Venus and Rome, the largest sacred building built by the Romans. On a small hill overlooking the Colosseum, stands the temple that Hadrian himself wanted to worship the goddess Roma Aeterna and the goddess Venus Felix. It is the largest sacred building built by the Romans, one of the largest in antiquity. Come and visit the Colosseum and do not miss out on visiting the incredible ruins of the Temple of Venus and Roma, the largest sacred building built by the Romans. Select your tout here and ask to see these ruins! We’d be glad to include this in your TOUR!
Temple of Venere and Rome
HISTORIC BACKGROUND OF THE TEMPLE OF VENUS AND ROME
The emperor himself designed the temple in 121 A.D. According to the Historia Augusta he had to remove the famous Neronian Colossus from the area. This operation employed as many as 24 elephants. They were needed to move the statue to the position where it is still remembered today.
The emperor inaugurated the building in 136 or 137 A.D. on his return from the middle east. Itwas completed by Antoninus Pius in 141 A.D.
THE PLAN OF THE TEMPLE OF VENUS AND ROME
The plan of the temple was characterized by two sections (called “cella”) oriented in opposite directions. The apse of the cell facing the Colosseum, dedicated to Venus, remains today. It is a living proof of the beauty (and the size) of the original temple. The opposite cell, dedicated to Roma, was destroyed. A new building was constructed in the 8th century to honour Saints Peter and Paul. This building was later transformed into the church of Santa Maria Nova. In the 15th century, it changed agaon into Santa Francesca Romana.
THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TEMPLE OF VENUS AND ROME
The design of the temple was extraordinary and completely new at the time. It was characterized by an “eclectic” style typical of architecture and buildings constructed under the emperor Hadrian and it combined Hellenistic proportions with the spatiality of Roman urban planning. In addition to this, the Temple of Venus and Roma was the largest sacred building built by the Romans. It was over 100m x 50m and about 30 m high. The monument must have included over two hundred columns in the temple.
What remains of the temple today is the result of restorations carried out by Maxentius. He made some changes to the structure including porphyry columns and the creation of two apses with vaulted roofs. The marble floors were restored again between 1932 and 1935.
The pavement of the cella dedicated to Roma constitutes one of the greatest examples of large module “opus sectile” that adorned both public and religious buildings in the city of Rome.
Come and visit the glorious Temple of Venus and Rome, the largest sacred building built by the Romans. Come and visit the Colosseum and do not miss out on visiting the incredible ruins of the Temple of Venus and Roma, the largest sacred building built by the Romans. Select your tout here and ask to see these ruins! We’d be glad to include this in your TOUR.
