Roman Temple of Cordoba

The Roman Temple of Cordoba is a construction of great historical value located in the heart of the city. It was discovered during excavations for the expansion of the city hall and is the only Roman temple in the city of which there is evidence.

Location of the Roman Temple of Cordoba

The Roman Temple of Cordoba is located at the end of Claudio Marcelo Street at its intersection with Capitulares Street, right next to the City Hall of Cordoba.

How to get to the Roman temple

The Roman temple can be reached by public transport, walking or by private vehicle, although access with the latter is more complicated due to the difficulty of finding parking in the area.

How to get to the Roman Temple from the Mosque of Cordoba: Walking

How to get to the Roman Temple from the RENFE train station: By bus.

How to get to the Roman Temple from the Hotel Cordoba Center: Bus

How to get to the Roman temple from the Eurostars Palace Hotel: Bus

History of the Roman Temple of Cordoba

The temple began its construction during the mandate of Emperor Claudius (41-54 A.D.) ending in the time of Domitian (81-96 A.D.). It was given access to water through the aqueduct Aqua Nova Domitiana Augusta.

The Temple and the square that surrounds it, are part of a neighborhood that was built between the first and second centuries A.D. becoming the provincial forum of the Colonia Patricia, being this the title with which Cordoba was designated during the domination of the Roman Empire. The city also became the capital of Baetica.

Structure of the Roman Temple of Cordoba

The Roman Temple of Cordoba is a hexastyle building, that is, it has a portico with 6 Corinthian columns in front. These are 9 meters high and are installed on a podium of 3.5 meters so that the temple was accessed through a staircase at its eastern end. The sides were surrounded by 10 columns.

At present, only some elements of the temple remain, such as the foundation, the staircase, the altar and some columns. It is interesting to mention that the foundations had an anterid support, a system recommended by Vitruvius to avoid the displacement of the construction due to its weight. This is evidence of the great dimensions that the temple had, since it was surely visible from the Via Augusta that connected the city with Rome and that discerned by the east of the city.

The Roman Temple of Cordoba was built with different materials, applying a base of opus caementicium and adding calcarenite ashlars. On the other hand, the columns and capitals were sculpted in white marble, leaving the upper square to be built with violet nodular limestone. All the materials were of local origin.

Questions about the Roman Temple of Cordoba