Best Temples in Rome

Historic temples in Rome are a true bliss to be explored with so much to imbibe from the culture of that era and experiencing the spiritual awakening energy inside the temple. These ancient temples in Rome deserve special consideration among the various wonders of Roman architecture. One of the most important aspects of ancient Roman religion was the upkeep and construction of these temples. The biggest temple in Rome is of Venus and Roma which is dedicated to the goddesses Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna. The Pantheon in Rome is one of the best-preserved temples in Rome, which was constructed in 126 AD. Roman temples had a distinctive architectural style, although they also had some influences from other civilizations.

The most typical architectural design of Roman temples are a rectangle-shaped temple elevated on a high pedestal, a plain front with a portico at the top of steps, and a triangular pediment above columns. The temple's sides and back featured far less prominent architectural features and frequently had no entrances. Temples in Rome were primarily influenced by those of the Etruscans, a great monarchy in Tuscany that was an Italian culture at the time the Latin tribes were constructing Rome.

Pantheon
Pantheon

One of Rome's outstanding monuments is the Pantheon, one of the best temples in Rome that was finished in 125 AD. It is among the best-preserved structures from the time of the Ancient Romans with incredible precision and depth at which one can marvel. There is a huge portico of granite Corinthian columns that forms the portico of the Pantheon, a circular structure.

Location: Piazza della Rotonda, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Opening Hours: 09:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. everyday


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Temple of Hercules Victor
Temple of Hercules Victor

A temple in Rome Italy dedicated to Hercules Victor can be found in Piazza Bocca della Verità, close to the Tiber River and the Forum Boarium in Rome. It is a tholos, a circular temple with a colonnade surrounding it in the traditional Greek "peripteral" style. Rome's oldest still-standing holy marble structure is this temple where Greek marble was only used to construct the Hercules Temple of Victor.

Location: Piazza della Bocca della Verità, 16, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

One of the most significant temples in Rome is the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, situated on Capitoline Hill, the area of which is encircled with shrines, altars, statues, and victory trophies. The original structure of this lost temple, like many other major temples in central Italy, is combined with elements with Etruscan design.

Location: Via del Tempio di Giove, 18, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Opening Hours: From Saturday to Monday the temple opens at 9:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. From Tuesday to Friday the temple remains open 24 hours.

Temple of Portunus
Temple of Portunus

One of the best preserved Roman temples is the Temple of Portunus, also known as the Temple of Fortuna Virilis, located in Rome, Italy. After being used for many years, the temple was shut down together with all other pagan temples in the Roman Empire in the fourth century. The temple was then converted into a church in 872 while keeping its outward look.

Location: Piazza della Bocca della Verità, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Temple of Saturn
Temple of Saturn

Located in what is now Rome, Italy, the Temple of Saturn was a pagan temple built by the Romans to honor the god Saturn. At the westernmost point of the Roman Forum, its ruins are located at the base of the Capitoline Hill. Traditional dating of the temple's founding dedication places it around 497 BC, but there is much debate among ancient writers on this location's past.

Location: Temple of Saturn, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Temple of Venus and Roma
Temple of Venus and Roma

It is believed that the Temple of Venus and Roma was the biggest temple in Rome. It was erected at Rome on the Velian Hill, between the Colosseum and the Forum Romanum, and was ascribed to the deities Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna. The temple celebrated Venus Felix, a hitherto unidentified Goddess of fertility and prosperity, as well as Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome), a protector of the nation and the city.

Location: Piazza di Santa Maria Nova, 53, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Timing: 9:00 am – 7:15 pm everyday

Temple of Caesar
Temple of Caesar

Near the Regia in the Roman Forum is an ancient building called the Temple of Caesar, also known as the Temple of the Deified Julius Caesar or Temple of the Comet Star. After the senate posthumously deified Julius Caesar, the triumvirs Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus proclaimed the temple in 42 BC. After some time, new churches and mansions were built using the temple's marble and stones with platform's whose cement cores were only partially preserved.

Location: Via della Salara Vecchia, 5/6, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Timings: 8.30 am–7:15 pm everyday

Temple of Castor and Pollux
Temple of Castor and Pollux

The Temples of Castor and Pollux are one of the oldest temples in Rome that was initially constructed as an expression of gratitude for winning the Battle of Lake Regillus. The Dioscuri, often known as the "twins" of Gemini are the twin sons of Zeus and Leda were Castor and Pollux. Of this once-massive edifice, just the inner concrete core of the platform and three columns remain today.

Location: 00186 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy

Timings: 8.30 am–7:15 pm everyday

Temple of Hadrian
Temple of Hadrian

In 145 CE, Hadrian's foster son and successor Antoninus Pius dedicated the Temple of Hadrian, a historic Roman building on the Campus Martius in Rome, Italy, to the deified emperor. This temple in Rome has remnants, which include one cella wall and eleven columns from the exterior colonnade, were incorporated into a later structure in the Piazza di Pietra.

Location: P.za di Pietra, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Timings: 8:30 am to 9:30 pm everyday

FAQ's About Temples in Rome

Which are the best Roman temples?

    • Temple of Portunus: One of the best preserved Roman temples is the Temple of Portunus, also known as the Temple of Fortuna Virilis, located in Rome, Italy.
    • Temple of Saturn: Another famous temple in Rome is the Temple of Saturn was a pagan temple built by the Romans to honor the god Saturn. At the westernmost point of the Roman Forum, its ruins are located at the base of the Capitoline Hill.
    • Temple of Venus and Roma: One of the biggest temples in Rome is the Temple of Venus and Rome that was erected at Rome on the Velian Hill between the Colosseum and the Forum Romanum. It was ascribed to the deities Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna.

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