Templo Romano de Córdoba

Historic Site and Temple in Córdoba

Templo Romano, Córdoba
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Marco Chiesa

The Templo romano de Córdoba or the Roman Temple of Córdoba are Roman remains of a Temple which was discovered in the 1950s during the expansion of City Hall. The sheer size of the building is remarkable: it was dedicated to the cult of the Emperor, and along with the Circus Maximus, would have formed part of the Provincial Forum.

Short History of the Roman Temple of Córdoba

Its construction began during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) and ended some forty years later, during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE), at which time it was provided with water. Presumably it was dedicated to the imperial cult.

The temple underwent some changes in the 2nd century, reforms that coincide with the relocation of the colonial forum to the location of the Convento de Santa Ana. The materials used in its construction were almost exclusively marble, from columns to the walls, and the roof. The quality of marble and the size of that tell us that its construction was carried out by skilled craftsmen of high quality, placing the result at the level of the most beautiful buildings of the empire.

The temple stood at the edge of Colonia Patricia, at the edge of the western walls. A small stretch of the wall was destroyed to build the temple. The land was cleared and leveled, creating a square artificial terrace at the center of which stood the temple. The square was closed on three of its sides, north, east and south, while the west was open to visually connect with the circus.

If still in use by the 4th-century, the temple would have been closed during the persecution of pagans under the Christian emperors.

Some of the original pieces from the museum are on display in the Museo Arqueológico y Etnológico de Córdoba or in unusual but attractive places dotted around the city, like the fluted column lying in Plaza de la Doblas.

What does the Templo Romano de Córdoba look Like?

It originally stood on a raised podium and had six free-standing Corinthian columns in the entrance. In front of this was the altar. The present reconstruction was carried out by the architect Félix Hernández, and has left Cordoba yet another reminder of the splendor of the city in Roman times.

Visiting the Templo Romano de Córdoba

Though generally not open to visitors, and there are no guided visits available, you can just see the columns from the street. The Temple is located between the Plaza de las Tendillas and Plaza de la Corredera. The temple is adjacent to the Cordoba city hall.

Claudio Marcelo statue

Adjacent to the Roman Temple there is a statue of Claudio Marcelo, founder of Cordoba which at the time was called Corduba. The statue is nearly three meters high and is made of Carrara marble. It is a tribute to the founder of the city that commissioned the City Council in 2015 to the famous sculptor Marco Augusto Dueñas.

The Templo Romano de Córdoba appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Córdoba!

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Visiting Templo Romano de Córdoba

Hours:

24 Hours


Price:

Free

Address: Templo Romano Calle Capitulares, 1 14002 Córdoba Spain
Duration: 20 minutes

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