The architecture of ancient rome structures. The oldest temples in Rome that have survived to this day
One of the most popular tourist routes a great many travelers have a visit to the Eternal City - a majestic, with a long history and a huge cultural heritage. Architecture Ancient Rome strikes with its monumentality, surprises with its age and simply delights. Thanks to the work of hundreds of thousands of people of various professions, today for us ancient Rome is not only illustrations in a history textbook, but a whole unknown world.
Aqueducts
Another important component of the architecture of Ancient Rome and a vital element, without which the development of the city would have been impossible, is the water supply system. Impressive in size, water conduits, which are based on the same arch, are still functioning.
The Eliev Bridge, better known as the "Sant'Angelo Bridge", located opposite the castle of the same name, can also be attributed to such architectural monuments of Ancient Rome. This ferry across the Tiber, first built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, was completely overhauled only in the Renaissance.
Ponte Mulvio is another ancient bridge in Rome that has survived to this day. In ancient times, it was located outside the city. Flaminia, Cassia and Clodia streets led to it - the main highways,
Triumphal arches
Many rulers of Rome, who fought for the expansion and power of the Empire, did not hesitate to erect monumental triumphal arches in honor of their own merits. In ancient Rome, such structures glorified the emperor as a commander and defender of the homeland, perpetuated the memory of his grandiose victories and conquests, served as symbols of military power and political domination.
Triumphal arches, demonstrating the technological progress and artistic tastes of the Romans, were installed throughout the Empire: from Germany and Spain to North Africa and Asia Minor. In Rome itself, you can see several monuments of glory that have survived to this day, which are still in excellent condition today:
- Triumphal Arch of Titus;
- The Arc de Triomphe of Septimius Severus;
- Triumphal Arch of Constantine.
In addition, the pedestals left over from the triumphal arches of the emperors Augustus and Trajan, located on the territory of the Roman Forum, have survived in Rome.
Thermal complexes
Public baths played an equally important role in the daily life of the Romans. Ancient Ancient Rome is simply impossible to imagine without magnificent thermal complexes that were erected throughout the Empire, even in the smallest cities. In the 1st century. BC. there were about 170 public baths in Rome! The emperors built enormous thermal complexes, for which, in most cases, no fee was charged. In addition, representatives of influential families had bath complexes directly on the territory of their own possessions.
Baths have always been not only an integral part of any urban infrastructure performing sanitary and hygienic functions, but also a whole social institution. They gathered here to discuss the latest city news, relax and have fun.
Of course, the architecture of Ancient Rome is not limited to the above examples of building structures. Nevertheless, they allow us to imagine at what a high level the engineering thought of the sculptors of the ancient era was and how fundamental the erected structures were, which sometimes still cause genuine delight and surprise.
boggles the imagination. Almost 3000 years of the rich history of the Roman lands more than decorated the city with masterpiece architecture of varying degrees of antiquity and importance, different styles and directions of architecture. From the ruins of ancient walls, arches and temples to buildings from the twentieth century, such as the Termini station. In the capital of Italy, almost at any step you can admire the harmonious and refined architecture of Rome in the implementation of artistic ideas.
It is not at all easy to find out in detail the dates of the construction of many buildings of the architecture of Rome - and whether it is necessary, in this case, to find out the encyclopedic reliability; since when often feelings prevail over reason. But, the least prepared traveler in world history can also distinguish between an ancient Roman temple and a Christian basilica: there are pagan chic porticos, columns and aisles, here - the ascetic modesty of lines and an emphasis on the spiritual at the expense of the physical.
The architecture of Rome is a reflection of the main historical and cultural periods of the formation of the capital of Rome. Generally, historical architecture Rome can be divided into a number of large temporary groups: ancient buildings, the Middle Ages, Renaissance and modern buildings.
Architecture of Rome: Antiquity
Monuments of ancient architecture of Rome - almost the main reason for the interest of international groups of travelers, every year, almost an onslaught of exciting Roman sights.
Palatine Hill - the place where Rome emerged as a city - their greatest concentration per unit area. The Roman Forum and the Colosseum, the Baths of Caracalla, circuses and amphitheaters, the pagan altars of Saturn and Volcano, the arches of Septimius Severus and Constantine, many temples and ruins of residential quarters with delightful mosaics - this is just a small part of the ancient architecture.
Connoisseurs of Christian antiquity will be delighted with a visit to the churches of Santa Constanta and San Clemente. And also from the dungeons of the Church of St. Agnes, where the pioneers of the new religion were hiding from imperial persecution.
The symbol of Rome and Italy in general acquired its present name because of the gigantic statue of the madman Nero ("colossus") placed in front of it, but it was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater. Built in the first century, the amphitheater became the largest building for mass entertainment in the entire Roman Empire. The diameters of the structure's oval are 156 and 188 m, in height - almost 50! It is not surprising that more than 50,000 Romans who wanted to see the Romans could accommodate in such open spaces.
Rome architecture: Colosseum The Colosseum survived, in fact, not flawless. The violent history of the region predisposed to the accelerated decay of the building (by the way, the world's first preserved Roman amphitheater is located in the Tunisian El Jem; it often plays the role of the Colosseum in cinema), but the former greatness has not disappeared: here, with open mouths, travelers stand in front of a suite of arches, the last of which disappears somewhere high in the sky.
In order to avoid long queues at the entrance to the Colosseum, we buy tickets in advance via the Internet.
The legendary architecture of Rome includes the Roman Forum - once the central market, and now the square that fills the center of the ancient part of the city. It is the epicenter of the social and political life of Roman citizens. It is from there that today's meaning of the word "forum" originates.
It should be borne in mind that the Forum is not the easiest example of the architecture of Rome in terms of perception. Many ruins here look like ruins to such an extent that the imagination weakens helplessly. Therefore, it is worth preparing that only the most knowledgeable or stubborn will be able to admire in full the ancient architecture of Rome. As a result, it should be borne in mind that in the summertime the sun is hot here mercilessly.
At the beginning there were pagan sanctuaries near the forum. With the collapse of the empire, it lost its social significance and was practically overgrown with weeds, until Christians began to build their temples on it. In the 19th and 20th centuries, archaeological excavations began here, as a result of which the forum acquired a modern cultural significance.
Currently, the forum concentrates around itself many ancient architectural artifacts, for example, the Sacred Road, the Capitol, the Temple of Saturn and others. It is possible to approach it from Foley Imperiali street or from the Capitol, bypassing the Capitol descent from Foro Romano street. Another road to the forum passes through the Temple of Concord, the Portico of the Blessing Gods, the Mamertine prison, which also makes it possible to get acquainted with these monuments of ancient architecture of Rome.
Baths of Caracalla
Bath, something for a Russian person is not at all alien, was quite in demand in ancient Rome. But the ancient Roman baths-saunas were called differently - terms. They went there to warm up, take a dip, and at the same time talk, sort out business issues, find suitable partners for their ancient Roman business.
The baths were built at the beginning of the 3rd century AD under the emperor, who ruled under the name of Septimius Bassian, but the most famous, as is often the case with Roman emperors, is the nickname Caracalla saved by historians.
It is striking that the large-scale, grandiose and chic construction of the Caracalla thermal baths, in terms of functionality, was "only" public baths, which promised the visitor, however, many hours of varied relaxation, both bathing and bathing, and sports, and also intellectual. It was a huge public building, stunning in its dimensions and luxury of decoration. One can insist that the baths of Caracalla are as majestic and monumental as the Colosseum or Hadrian's mausoleum.
In order to avoid long queues at the entrance to the Baths of Caracalla, we buy tickets in advance via the Internet.
Middle Ages
The not very prosperous Middle Ages and tangibly worsened the appearance of the Eternal City during the Vandal invasions, and presented a number of attractions to the architecture of Rome. One of the most famous is the Castle of Sant'Angelo on the west bank of the Tiber. Feudal turrets, loopholes and halls with high dark ceilings, combined with powerful battlements in the literal sense of impenetrable fortress walls, give a visual representation of the disturbing life in those days.
It makes sense to visit the temple of Santa Maria sopra Minerva: although its facade was restored in the 19th century, the original medieval style of Rome's architecture was carefully preserved. It makes sense to visit the temple of Santa Maria del Anima, built at the end of the 14th century for the needs of the pilgrims in Rome.
Rome architecture: Castel Sant'Angelo
The unique architecture of Rome is also the Castel Sant'Angelo. The construction of the Castel Sant'Angelo began in Rome as early as 135. During its almost 2000 history, it has been altered more than once and was used as a castle itself, and was also a tomb, the residence of the popes, a storehouse and, of course, a dungeon. Now the Castle of Saint Angel houses the Military Historical Museum, where travelers can see the Secret Archives, the Hall of Treasures, the papal apartments, the Paul III Loggia, the Clement VII Hall, the courtyard of Alexander VI and many other things - more than 50 rooms that form a real labyrinth!
The building acquired its name in 590, when, during the plague, Pope Gregory the Great had a vision in which the Archangel Michael on the roof was sheathed with a sword. This meant that the end of the raging disaster had come. Just after that, the fortress began to be called the Castle of the Holy Angel.
Renaissance
Much of the architecture of Rome that can be seen today has to do with the Renaissance - the restoration of the classical canons of harmony after the gloomy Middle Ages. By the way, Rome should be grateful to the Renaissance city planners for the comfortable radial arrangement of the streets. Among the buildings of this period, most of all attention is focused on the architectural dominant of Rome - St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, as well as many minor churches and temples.
It is worth paying attention to the graceful domes of the Renaissance buildings rising up into the sky: a number of them (for example, the most high point Rome - the dome of St. Peter's Basilica) it is possible to rise and thereby embrace with a bird's eye view both historic Rome and the luxurious interior decoration of the cathedral. Well, at the end of the Renaissance in the architecture of Rome, the Baroque blossoms in a violent color, with all its ornate bas-reliefs, rounded marble Cupids and tropical plaster flora. For baroque sensations, you should go to its three chic fountains, and you shouldn't miss the colonnade of St. Peter's Basilica.
The heart of the Vatican and the entire Catholic community, St. Peter's Basilica is one of the main architectural landmarks of Rome. Here you can take a bird's eye view of ancient Rome, admire the interior of the cathedral from the top of the dome, attend Mass and even be a blessed pontiff.
St. Peter's Basilica is, without embellishment, history itself, embodied in stone.
The list of famous people who, in one way or another, put their hands to its architecture and interior, will fill more than one page, and within its walls the fate of the whole world, states and peoples was decided. The history of the cathedral dates back to the 4th century with the construction of a simple basilica over the supposed burial of the Apostle Peter. Until the 15th century, the structure did not differ in anything special. And so in 1506, a papal decree was conceived to remake the basilica into a monumental cathedral, the center of Catholicism and a symbol of the pontiff's power.
In order to avoid long queues at the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica, we buy tickets in advance via the Internet.
Modern architecture of Rome
The architecture of Rome of the era of modern times in Rome is also represented in large quantities, in no small part due to the construction during the times of Italian fascism and the rule of Mussolini. Within the framework of the revival of the idea of a great Rome and great Romans, the architecture of Rome at that time came out pompous, pretentious, cumbersome and harsh.
Most of it is concentrated on the western bank of the Tiber River and in the Prati region. One of the examples of early 20th century architecture in Rome is the Palace of Justice.
But among the heavy neo-imperial buildings there are also genuine masterpieces, for example, the modernist construction of Termini station, completed in 1950, with a travertine facade and metal panel inserts, a symbol of modern energetic Rome.
The Palace of Justice is one of the most famous architectural landmarks of Rome and Italy in general. Currently, the building is the seat of the Supreme Court of Cassation, it is located in the Prati district, near the Castel Sant'Angelo. One of its main strengths is its exterior: a lot of decorative elements in the form of statues and stucco moldings are concentrated on the castle. When visiting Rome, be sure to check out this striking structure.
The beginning of the construction of the castle fell on March 14, 1888. Giuseppe Zanarrdelli, the keeper of the state seal, was present at its construction. It was he who advocated that the Palace was built in the Prati area. Then in that part of Rome there were already judicial institutions, but the Palace of Justice became the largest of them. For the construction, platforms were needed, which were created from concrete. During the construction, excavations were carried out and many sarcophagi were found.
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The chapter "Building materials, building equipment, structures" of the subsection "Architecture of the Roman Republic" of the section "Architecture of Ancient Rome" from the book " General history architecture. Volume II. Architecture of the Ancient World (Greece and Rome) "edited by B.P. Mikhailova.
Stone was the main building material in a mountainous country, rich in various varieties and volcanic rocks. The most convenient for processing were varieties of soft tuff - gray, yellowish or brownish. Hard limestone, travertine, was highly valued and was used extremely economically during almost the entire period of the republic. It was used by architects only in places of the greatest load of the building in the corner parts and those details where porous tuff, which was easily weathered, was inappropriate. Outside, stone buildings were often covered with a light layer of knocking. Mostly religious and public buildings and engineering structures were erected from stone. The dwellings were built from raw bricks. From the end of the II century. fired bricks of various shapes came into use. Column trunks were laid out of shaped round or pentagonal bricks (Fig. 1). By the end of the 1st century. BC. Hollow brick blocks were used in the walls of the thermal baths to build a heating system in which hot air circulated (Fig. 2).
At the end of the republican period, white marble, both local and imported from Greece, began to be used to decorate temples, public buildings and rich dwellings.
In the art of building and stone processing techniques, the Etruscans had a well-known influence on the Romans. The remains of the oldest Roman buildings are made of large stones of irregular shape. In addition to polygonal masonry, quadra masonry was also developed early. During the period of the V-III centuries. BC NS. The Romans improved the construction technique by developing the so-called "normal" masonry of blocks in the form of a parallelepiped of different sizes (on average 60X60X120 cm). Several methods of this masonry were used: from one spoonful of rows of blocks; from spoons with sparse pokes; from alternating rows of spoons and pokes, as well as observing rhythmic alternation in each row of spoons and spoons (Fig. 3).
By the III century. BC. under the influence of the Greeks, the processing of the outer side of the blocks improved and various methods of rustication were developed. The simplest cranes were used to lift and move heavy stone blocks at construction sites (Fig. 4).
In addition to the post-and-beam system, a false arch and a false vault were used in the structures. By the end of the III century. BC. the appearance of Roman concrete, which opened up great opportunities in construction, belongs to.
The development of Roman concrete began with the use of lime mortar in rubble masonry. A similar construction technique was widespread in Hellenistic times. The difference between Roman concrete and ordinary lime mortars is that instead of sand, it used pozzolans - volcanic sands named after the place of extraction (the ancient Puteoli city of Pozzuoli). The use of pozzolanas instead of sand in mortar was due to the lack of good sands in this part of Italy. Pozzolanas have proven to be the best astringent in mortar, as they give it water resistance, strength and help it set quickly. Initially, concrete was only used to fill the space between the hewn stone walls. The dimensions of the stones laid in concrete gradually decreased, the mixture became more and more homogeneous and the concrete thus turned into an independent building material, although the facing of the outer surfaces with stone was preserved. Initially, the surface of the wall consisted of small irregularly shaped stones connected to the core of the wall and to each other with concrete mortar. This is the so-called wrong facing - incert (opus incertum). Gradually there appears (from the 90s of the 1st century BC) a tendency to give stones an ever more regular shape, and, finally, from the middle of the 1st century BC. BC. reticulat comes into use - mesh masonry (opus reticulatum), in which the outer surface of a concrete wall is revetted with small, carefully laid pyramidal stones. Their flat bases go out and form a mesh pattern, and their pointed ends are immersed in the concrete core of the wall (Fig. 5). The corners of the walls and lintels of the openings were formed by masonry from large blocks. Samples of early concrete technology have come down to us in small numbers. This is due to the fact that initially concrete was used mainly not in monumental buildings, but in dwellings and small structures, for which a quickly obtained and inexpensive wall material was needed. The concrete technique also had the advantage that it required a much smaller number of skilled construction workers and allowed the widespread use of slave labor.
In parallel, there was the development of arched-vaulted structures, which were used in the architecture of the ancient East, sometimes found in Greece (Priene, Pergamum, etc.). The question of whether the arched-vaulted structures were brought into the architecture of Rome from outside or independently invented by Roman architects cannot be considered finally solved at the present time.
The first appearance of the wedge arch in Rome dates back to the 4th century. BC. In the III-II centuries. BC. the number of arched-vaulted structures is increasing, especially since the end of the 2nd century BC. BC.
The combination of concrete technology and arched-vaulted structures, which gave unprecedented opportunities, had a huge impact on the development of Roman architecture. Only with the help of such construction techniques it was possible to create such outstanding architectural structures as the Roman aqueducts, the Colosseum and the Pantheon.
The first monumental structure that has come down to us in this new form of technology is the portico of the Emilia, which was a huge grain warehouse in Emporia (the port of Rome downstream of the Tiber). Major trading operations were carried out here. Originally Emporium was a simple unloading area, and the portico of Emiliev was a temporary structure. In 174 BC. the building of the portico was built (Fig. 6). It was a large rectangular building stretched along the embankment (487X60 m), divided inside into 50 short transverse naves by 49 rows of pillars. The building rose in steps from the banks of the Tiber, and each nave was covered with a stepped cylindrical vault with a span of 8.3 m. On the hewn tuff façade, each nave had a corresponding section, separated from the neighboring ones by pilasters. Each nave is expressed on the façade: at the bottom with a large arched span, at the top with two smaller windows, also with a semicircular end. The walls of the building are made of gray concrete very good quality, their surface is lined with incert; the corners of the building and wedge-shaped arches above the door and window openings are made of rectangular blocks of the same material. The Emiliev portico was an outstanding monument of the early Roman art of building.
Here, for the first time in a building of such a grandiose scale, the fusion of the vaulted-arch principle of structures with concrete technology was achieved. Such a developed construction probably indicates a long preceding evolution.
The purpose of the building was in keeping with the simplicity of its forms. Repetition of one standard element on the facade 50 times gave the building a scale and emphasized the utility of its purpose.
Such huge structures were carried out in an extremely short time. The grandiose Colosseum was built in five years, and the aqueducts 100 or more kilometers long, together with substructures and bridges “in the places where they crossed river valleys, the Romans managed to build in two or three years (the term of office of aedil, the head of construction, elected by the Senate). Construction was usually tendered and carried out by contractors who were interested in the best organization of the whole, skillfully combining the labor of a huge mass of unskilled slaves and a small number of experienced building architects. Therefore, in the design, the typification of the main structural elements, the multiplicity of their sizes by foot and modularity were widely used, which made it possible to divide the work into identical simple operations. The organization of labor on Roman construction sites was very high.
This period includes the construction of a number of large engineering structures, including the large port in Ostia. In 102 AD, Trajan built a large stone bridge with concrete supports across the Danube to control Dhaka. Of course, it was not he who built, but his master builders, among whom Apollodorus of Damascus stood out. He was probably one of the most educated and talented engineers of the Roman Empire, since in addition to the bridge, he built a number of large and structurally complex structures, such as the Forum of Trajan, the circus and the baths in Rome, named after the emperor. He is credited with the construction of one of the most beautiful and outstanding structures of world architecture - the concrete Pantheon in Rome.
Construction continues even more intensively during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138). Adrian took part in the construction not only as an organizer, but also as an architect and civil engineer. He spent most of his life traveling around the empire. Adrian visited all the Roman provinces, was a great admirer of Greek culture, admired the skill of Egyptian artists.
In his declining years, he ordered to build in the city of Tibure near Rome country villa with concrete walls and reproduce in miniature everything that so impressed him during his travels. In 132, Hadrian began to build for himself a grandiose mausoleum and a bridge to it, thrown across the Tiber. The construction of these structures was completed in 139. The construction activity of Hadrian's closest successors was not so lively. Of the most significant structures, one can name a temple in honor of the wife of the emperor Antoninus Pius and a column named after Marcus Aurelius.
During the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211), there was a certain revival of construction activity. According to his contemporary Lempidarius, “... He restored the buildings of the former sovereigns and erected many of them himself, including the baths of his own name. I also ran water, which is called Alexandrova ...
He was the first to introduce the Alexander method of finishing with two types of marble. At the Forum of Trajan, he erected statues of great people, transferring them from everywhere ... He restored the bridges built by Trajan in almost all places, and in some he rebuilt them ... "In 203, to commemorate the victories over the Parthians and Arabs in Rome under construction on a strong concrete foundation, the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus is 23 meters high and 25 meters wide. The architecture of this period is notable for the richness of decoration, which gives the buildings a ceremonial look.
Under Emperor Caracalla (211-217), the most grandiose and beautiful baths in the history of the city were built in Rome, where concrete was used as the main building material. The entire complex of buildings covered 16 hectares and was completed in a little over four years.
If earlier there were large monetary expenses caused by wars, road construction, public works, famine and plague epidemics were covered by war booty, tribute from conquered peoples or money from the sale of captives and confiscated lands, now, at the beginning of the 3rd century, such opportunities are sharply reduced.
Rome at that time, like many cities in its provinces, still retained its external splendor, but the decline, rooted in the very structure of the Roman Empire, was already clearly visible. Maritime trade was once again threatened by pirates, and overland roads became unsafe due to increased incidents of robbery. A period of extreme economic collapse has come; cities were depopulated, fields were deserted, since there were not enough workers, the deepening of typical forms of subsistence economy was observed.
In the second half of the 3rd century, after the onslaught of the barbarians on the Roman borders intensified, the intensive construction of fortresses and walls began throughout the vast empire. So, Aurelian from the first days of his reign began to strengthen Rome with powerful walls, the construction of which was completed in 282.
The measures and numerous decrees of Diocletian, and later of Constantine, aimed at normalizing the country's economic life, were crowned with success. The external danger to the Roman state was temporarily removed, order was consolidated, and peace was assured. One of the main methods of state policy was the "militarization" of the entire state, including the civilian part of the population. Taking the large eastern monarchies as a model, the emperors created such a socio-economic system in which every citizen was considered to be in the service only of the state. No one had the right to leave the social category or craft organization in which he was. No one could evade the activity to which he was destined from the day of his birth. The formerly free colleges, which united people by profession, have now turned into compulsory corporations. Most artisans received cash, and more often in kind benefits from the state, but for this they had to come to terms with the fact that their freedom was now sharply limited.
In this situation, capital construction is growing and expanding. The amphitheater in Verona, built in 290, dates back to the reign of Diocletian - a building resembling the type and size of the Colosseum in Rome. In 305, the huge concrete baths of Diocletian were built. They could simultaneously accommodate 3200 people and were the largest structure of this type created in the entire history of Roman construction.
Under Constantine, who in the area government controlled continued the traditions of Diocletian, on May 11, 330 there was a solemn consecration of the new capital of the Roman Empire, which was named Constantinople. It quickly began to be built up, decorated with magnificent buildings and works of art transported from Rome and Greece.
By the IV century. The Roman Empire is entering the last and final stage of its development. A system of so-called naturally closed serf relations is gradually taking shape. Trade is declining in the country, almost all types of government payments are being naturalized. The appearance of cities is changing. They now take the form of fortresses bounded by powerful walls and towers. The estates turn into independent political and economic units, and their owner becomes the sovereign, with an army of slaves and colonists. The empire of Rome was disintegrating before our eyes. At the end of the IV century. a new socio-political crisis arises. In parallel, the pressure of the barbarians on the borders of the state is increasing. Huge masses of Huns, Alans and Goths moved from the Caspian steppes to the West. On August 24, 410, the eternal city fell.
Thus, as a result of the aggressive policy of Ancient Rome, its enrichment through wars, the construction of large engineering structures, luxurious mansions, palaces, temples, residential and public buildings develops. In turn, this required a new strong, durable and relatively cheap material, which was concrete. However, for the implementation of large construction projects from concrete, gold and slaves were not enough. A well-established organization of labor, engineering knowledge and construction equipment was required.
26.02.2015 Last update date: 04 March 2020
Rome is one of oldest cities world and for many centuries ago it was the largest center of social and political life. Religion occupied a special place in the life of the ancient Romans. The first temples dedicated to pagan Gods began to be erected back in the royal period, around the 6th century BC. These most ancient temples of Rome have survived to this day - their ruins can still be seen in Rome today. Let's get to know them.
The ruins of the ancient temple of Vesta, dedicated to the Roman goddess of the family hearth, are located in the oldest part Of the eternal city, at the Roman Forum. Presumably the temple appeared in the 6th-5th centuries BC. The circular structure was surrounded on the outside by a colonnade. In the temple, the Sacred Fire was constantly burning, which was supported by the priestesses of the goddess Vesta - the Vestals, and inside there was a cache that kept sacred relics.
Contemporaries can see only three fifteen-meter columns, an altar, as well as the Yuturna spring, the water of which was considered healing.
One of the most ancient religious buildings of Ancient Rome, which was fortunate enough to survive to this day, is the Temple of Saturn. Its ruins can be seen at the Roman Forum. Saturn is the God of earth and fertility, in ancient times he was especially revered by the Romans, temples were erected for him and new cities were named after him. According to legend, in ancient times, Italy was called the Saturnian Land.
The Temple of Saturn was erected at the foot of the Capitoline Hill in the second half of the 5th century BC. Throughout its history, the structure burned more than once during fires, but it was restored. Today, only a few columns of the portico and part of the foundation have survived. On the frieze you can see the inscription in Latin:
SENATUS POPULUSQUE ROMANUS INCENDIO CONSUMPTUM RESTITUIT
Which in translation sounds like: “ The Senate and the people of Rome, destroyed by fire, rebuilt».
In the republican period, the treasury was located under the temple, where not only the Roman treasury was kept, but also important state documents.
The Temple of Portuna is one of the few ancient buildings that has survived to this day. In ancient Roman mythology, Portun was considered the god of doors, keys and cattle, the guard of entrances and exits. The temple is located in the Bull Forum. In republican times, there was a small port and market, which was a lively trade in livestock.
The first temple of Portuna appeared in the 3rd century BC, but the structure that can be seen today dates back to the 1st century BC. Only a part of the foundation, found during excavations, has survived from the previous structure.
The temple is the oldest surviving marble structure in Rome. It was built around 120 BC. at the Forum of the Bull, near the Temple of Portuna. Dedicated to the hero of ancient Greek mythology, the deified Hercules, whose cult spread through the Greek colonists in Italy.
The legendary ancient Roman commander and statesman Gaius Julius Caesar was the second in history, after the founder of Rome Romulus, a deified Roman. Just two years after Caesar's brutal assassination, starting in 42 BC. the construction of a temple in his honor began. Unfortunately, only a small part of it has survived to this day, but the ruins that can be seen today in its place give a good idea of how impressive in size this building was more than two millennia ago.
Three tall columns and part of the podium are all that have survived from the temple of Venus the Ancestor at Caesar's forum. It was built back in 46 BC. at the direction of the great Julius Caesar in gratitude to Venus, fertility, beauty and love, for help in the victory over Pompey. The cult of Venus was of particular importance in the life of the ancient Romans, who considered her their patroness.
The surviving ruins of the temple are located in the Imperial Forums, or Fori imperiali, in the center of the Forum of Augustus, commissioned by the first Roman emperor in the 2nd year of our era. It was a majestic structure, richly decorated with white marble, sculptures of kings and great Roman generals, sacred statues of gods and mythological characters.
In 79 AD, a temple was erected at the Roman forum in honor of the two deified Flavian emperors - Vespasian and his son Titus. Only a few columns remain of the majestic temple, as well as some bas-reliefs that are now kept in museums.
The temple of all gods - the Pantheon - is spread over the Piazza della Rotonda, or Piazza della Rotonda, in historic center Rome. This structure was built by order of the Emperor Hadrian in 126 AD. NS. To this day, it remains a functioning temple. The Pantheon is a unique example of ancient Roman architecture, its design features testify to great achievements in the field of ancient engineering.
Many prominent personalities of the past are buried in the Pantheon, including the Italian kings Umberto I and Vittorio Emmanuele II, Queen Margaret of Savoy, as well as famous painters and architects of the Renaissance Rafael Santi, Baldassare Peruzzi, and others.
According to historians, the most magnificent religious building of ancient Rome was the temple, erected in honor of the goddesses Venus and Roma, the patrons of the Eternal City. It was consecrated in 135 AD. e., during the reign of Hadrian. The architect of this monumental building was the emperor himself.
The ruins that can be seen today near the Colosseum give an idea of the size of the ancient structure. The pedestal on which the temple was erected is 145 meters long and 100 meters wide.
Modern Rome is not just a city with a long, centuries-old history, it is a real museum under open air, whose exhibits surprisingly find their place among modern buildings. One such example is the Temple of Hadrian, located in Piazza di Pietra. Part of the ancient Roman structure was built into a 17th century building designed by Carlo Fontana.
The temple to the glory of the deified emperor Hadrian was erected by his adopted son and successor Antoninus Pius in 141-145 AD.
The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is one of the few well-preserved pre-Christian churches in the Forum. By decree of Emperor Antoninus Pius, who was inherently a deeply religious person, a temple was erected at the Roman Forum in about the middle of the 2nd century in honor of his late wife Faustina. When the emperor died, an eagle was released into the sky at the farewell ceremony, symbolizing the deification of Antoninus. On the frieze of the portico you can see the Latin inscription:
DIVO ANTONINO ET DIVAE FAUSTINAE EX S (enatus) C (onsulto)
which, translated from Latin, sounds like: “ Divine Antonine and divine Faustina by decision of the Senate».
One of the largest structures located in the Roman Forum is the Basilica dedicated to the emperors Maxentius and Constantine. The height of the vaults of the basilica, built in 312, was 39 meters, and the area of just one nave exceeded four thousand square meters.
The ancient Romans came here not only to worship gods and perform religious rites, but also important state meetings and city council meetings were held here. From an architectural point of view, the basilica resembles the baths of Caracalla and the baths of Diocletian.
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