Temple of Venus and Rome

The Temple of Venus and Roma, located in the Roman Forum, is one of the most grandiose and imposing temples of ancient Rome. Its construction began in 121 AD at the behest of Emperor Hadrian, a lover of art and architecture, and was completed by Emperor Antoninus Pius in 141 AD. The temple is dedicated to two deities: Venus Felix (Venus bringer of good fortune) and Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome), reflecting both the connection to Roman mythology and the celebration of the eternal city. The temple stands on a high podium overlooking the Colosseum Valley, occupying a strategic position between the Basilica of Maxentius and the Colosseum. The building extends over an area of about 145 meters in length and 100 meters in width, making it the largest temple ever built in Rome. Its construction involved the reuse of the foundations of Nero’s Domus Aurea vestibule and the transfer of the Colossus of Nero, a colossal statue about 35 meters high, thanks to the use of twenty-four elephants, which was dedicated to the god Sun and moved near the Flavian Amphitheater. The architectural design of the temple, attributed to Hadrian himself, reflects the eclecticism typical of his works, combining elements of Hellenistic architecture with Roman construction techniques. The temple had a rectangular plan with two cells, each dedicated to one of the two deities. The cell of Venus, facing the Colosseum, and the cell of Roma, facing the Forum, were preceded by a vestibule and decorated with stucco and precious marbles. The temple’s columns, over two hundred, were made of gray granite and Proconnesian marble, and surrounded the building on all four sides. The cell coverings consisted of a barrel vault decorated with stucco coffers, and the interior walls were enriched with niches for statues, framed by porphyry columns and supported by white marble brackets. The floor, still partially preserved, was composed of polychrome marble slabs arranged in geometric patterns. During the Middle Ages, the temple underwent various looting and transformations. In the 7th century, Emperor Heraclius granted Pope Honorius I the brass roof tiles to be used in the Basilica of St. Peter. In the following centuries, the cell of Roma was converted into an oratory dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul and then into the church of Santa Maria Nova, now known as Santa Francesca Romana. The temple was severely damaged by a fire in 307 AD and was restored by Emperor Maxentius, who made significant changes to the structure, including the addition of porphyry columns and the creation of apses with vaulted ceilings and coffered decoration. During the Renaissance and modern age, interest in the temple was revived, leading to various restoration interventions, including those carried out between 1932 and 1935 under the direction of Alfonso Bartoli.