In terms of sheer splendour, it’s hard to find more impressive historic buildings than surviving Roman Temples.
Standing in some cases for as much as two thousand years, the best preserved Roman temples remain much as they would have been at the height of Ancient Rome – so unlike many other Roman sites, little imagination is required and you can truly feel as though you are walking in the footsteps of the Romans.
Unlike most religious places today, the Romans didn’t actually worship in their temples, but used them as the centre for outdoor gatherings and grand processions. However, this didn’t mean the buildings were diminished in value, quite the contrary, for the Romans spent fortunes building these magnificent structures and lavished them with ornate decorations and gifts. From wealthy private citizens to victorious generals and the Emperors themselves, building a temple to the gods was seen as a righteous duty and a symbol of status, wealth and power.
Check out our list of Roman Temples below and discover some amazing places to visit on your travels.
Home to the largest Roman temple ever built, Baalbek contains not just the remains of the Temple of Jupiter but also the far better preserved and simply magnificent Temple of Bacchus. Probably the most impressive entry on our list of Roman temples.
One of the best preserved Roman temples in the world, the Maison Carree in Nimes largely survived due to its conversion to a church in the fourth century. Simply stunning, it is as close as you’d ever get to the temples which the Romans would have used.
The most famous Roman temple in the world and one of the very best preserved, the Pantheon in Rome was built during the reign of Hadrian in 125AD. Its vast concrete dome is a monumental engineering feat and remained the largest dome in the world until the 15th century. A must-visit site for those seeking Roman history.
Though dedicated to the eastern deity of Bel, the temple at Palmyra is very much Roman in its architecture and style. This amazing site is one of the very best surviving Roman temples.
One of the best surviving examples of a Roman temple anywhere in the world, the Temple of Augustus and Livia in Vienne, France, is an extremely well-preserved ancient site and definitely one to see.
Though in fact a reconstruction built from the original remains, the Garni Temple in Armenia is a beautiful site in a picturesque mountain setting and is definitely worth the effort to visit.
The Temples of the Forum Boarium in Rome date back to the second century BC and are considered to be the best-preserved temples of the Republican era. Comprised of two temples, the Temple of Hercules Victor and the Temple of Portunus, they are fascinating to explore.
An extremely good example of a Roman temple can be found in Djemila, Algeria, with the Temple of Venus Genetrix. This unrestored ruin still has its original walls and columns intact and offers a rare glimpse into the original Roman architecture.
Visually among the most impressive Roman temples in the world, the forum temples at Sbeitla in Tunisia are reasonably well preserved and sit lined-up one alongside the next, making for a picture perfect ancient site.
A lesser known entry on our Roman temples list, the great Temple of Zeus at Aizanoi is a very good example of Roman temple architecture and much remains of the original second century AD structure.
The Area Sacra di Largo Argentina in Rome contains the ruins of four Republican-era ancient Roman temples.
The Atrium Vestae in the Roman Forum, also known as the 'House of the Vestal Virgins', was a Roman palace which originally formed part of the Temple of Vesta and served as the home of the priestesses. Today, as with much of the Forum, little remains except for a few statues displayed in the courtyard.
A lesser known example for our list of Roman temples, the Basilica of Sant Angelo is an 11th century church partially made up of the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to Diana Tifatina.
Cumae Archaeological Park in Pozzuoli houses a series of ancient ruins among which can be found the temples of Jupiter and Apollo
The remains of Diocletian’s Palace are intricately interwoven with the modern city of Split, which grew up around it. Among the best of the original Roman remains is the amazing Temple of Jupiter, which still retains much of its original grandeur.
Dougga boasts a series of impressive Roman ruins including the impressive Temple of Jupiter and the temples of Juno Caelestis and Saturn.
Once known for the famous Greek Temple of Artemis, it is in fact the second century AD Roman Temple of Hadrian which has survived the centuries better.
Though not the best example of a Roman temple to have survived, the Temple of Artemis at Jerash still contains much of its existing structure, including several standing columns.
Rome’s ancient port city contains a wealth of remains, among which is the second century AD Capitolium - dedicated to Minerva, Jupiter and Juno - as well as the Round Temple.
Standing on the acropolis of this Greek and Roman city, the Roman Temple of Trajan at Pergamum, which was built around the second century AD. Quite a bit of this structure remains including several standing columns.
Another example of an extremely well preserved Roman temple is that of Antoninus and Faustina. Constructed in 141 AD it was dedicated to the deified emperor and his wife. Later incorporated into a church, it is one of the best preserved structures in the Roman Forum.
The Temple of Augustus is a 1st century AD ancient Roman temple ruin hidden in Barcelona’s back streets. Little remains of this once-important site apart from four main columns, hidden away within a medieval courtyard.
The Temple of Caesar was an ancient temple built in honour of Julius Caesar. Once among the most famous Roman temples, today little remains except for its altar, which can be seen within the Roman Forum.
One of the oldest temples in Rome, the Temple of Castor and Pollux was first constructed in the fifth century BC and was said to celebrate the Roman victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus. A few remains of the second incarnation of this temple, rebuilt by Emperor Tiberius, can still be seen in the Forum.
A Roman temple located in Rome’s Forum, the Temple of Concord was dedicated to Concordia, the goddess of harmony, and at times was used to hold meetings of the senate. Today little of this temple remains.
An extremely good example of Roman temple architecture, the Temple of Diana in the Spanish city of Merida is very well preserved and a great ancient site to visit.
The Temple of Diana in Nimes is a Roman site whose ultimate purpose remains a mystery. Yet, whatever its original function, this stunning site boasts well-preserved vaulted ceilings, grand archways and enticing passageways.
Though originally a Greek temple, the construction of the Temple of Olympian Zeus took so long it was in fact the Roman Emperor Hadrian who completed it. Little remains apart from a handful of – albeit impressive - surviving columns.
The Temple of Saturn in the Roman forum was once one of the most important temples of Ancient Rome and contained the Empire’s treasury. Largely destroyed in the fifteenth century, all that remains are a handful of its Ionic columns.
The Temple of Venus and Rome, part of the Roman Forum, was built by the Emperors Hadrian and Maxentius. Though recently restored and a few original walls still stand, it’s hard to get an idea of the true majesty of this ancient sanctuary, thought to have been the largest in Rome.
The Iseum is a second century AD Roman temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis.
Dedicated to the goddess of the hearth, the Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum was an Ancient Roman shrine. However, little has survived of the original structure.
This once-thriving Roman town in Morocco contains some interesting sites and includes the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter. However, aside from a few standing columns, little remains intact.