Tempio Rotondo
Roma Archaeological sites
The site will be closed in compliance with the DPCM 15th January 2021.
The "Round Temple" is found, along with the Temple of Portunus, in the archaeological area of the Boarian Forum , which was the ancient meat market of Rome. Since the Renaissance until recently it was known as the Temple of Vesta because of the similarities with another temple, located in the Roman Forum , dedicated to this goddess. When the dedicatory inscription made by an olive merchant by the name of Marcus Octavius Erennius was found, the temple was correctly attributed to Hercules. Moreover, in the area around the Boarian Forum, there already existed other monuments dedicated to this divinity. The temple itself is the oldest existing example of a marble building in Rome. It was built, using Greek pentelic marble, in the first century b.C. with additional refurbishing done, using different varieties of marble, under the Emperor Tiberius. In the twelfth century it became a church dedicated firstly to Saint Stephen and then, in the sixteenth century, to Saint Mary of the Sun . Inside the building various frescoes dating from the 1400s have been recovered.
How to reach the site
Bus: n.23; 30; 44; 81;160; 170; 280; 628; 716; 780
Services and Accessibility
Info and Reservation
