TEMPLO ROMANO, CORDOBA

This temple is one of the most studied buildings of Colonia Patricia-Corduba. Its modern history begins in 1951, when the demolition of a municipal building allowed archaeologist Santos Gener to locate the first remains. From then on it was understood not as an isolated find, but as the core of a monumental complex located in the eastern part of the city, near the Via Augusta.

Archaeological evidence suggests work began in the mid-1st century AD, in the early years of Nero's reign, around 55 AD. The leading hypothesis is that it was built for the imperial cult, as a tribute to the emperor Claudius after his death and deification, and as a display of loyalty from the elites of Baetica towards Rome.

After centuries hidden beneath other buildings, its current appearance is the result of the anastylosis carried out in the 1960s, led by Félix Hernández, which restored part of the facade's monumental presence. Between 1985 and 2004, systematic excavations helped complete the layout of the interior hall and gave a better understanding of its materials and foundations. That enhancement project was completed in 2025, and the site is now open to visitors.

Once inside the site, you can walk among the different preserved structures and the reconstructed ones, put there to give a better understanding of the complex.

The reconstructed columns are the most visible part of the monument. What you see today is the result of a reconstruction carried out in the sixties by Félix Hernández, who raised several columns of the facade using the original fragments found during the excavations. They are Corinthian columns with fluted shafts, and they let you picture a building that once reached a total height of 17 or 18 metres.

The temple rises on a podium 3.5 metres high. This artificial platform was meant to give the building added grandeur and was also a crucial technical solution to overcome the steep slope of the ground in this part of the city. Thanks to the podium and the platform supporting its structure, the temple achieved a dominant view over everything around it.

The anterides are very sturdy ashlar buttresses arranged in a fan shape, found at the easternmost part of the building. They are essential from the standpoint of Roman engineering, since they helped counteract the thrust of the ground and prevent earth movements caused by the great weight of the temple.

The remains of the rectangular altar, where offerings and sacrifices took place, sit right in front of the entrance steps. The current altar is a 2nd-century AD restoration that replaced the original and was complemented by two new side altars, which suggests the deity to whom the temple was dedicated may have changed by that time.

Although many have been lost, you can still make out portions of the rich architectural ornamentation. Look out for the white marble capitals, quarried locally and from Carrara, with a design very similar to that of the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine in Rome. These marbles, together with the coloured marbles that adorned the porticoes of the square, gave the whole complex an appearance of luxury and authority in the province.

The site opens only for guided visits. From Tuesday to Friday there are slots at 10:00 and 11:00. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays there are slots at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00.

It stays closed on working Mondays. It's also closed on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. For seasonal changes, check the website of the Cordoba City Council.

Entry to the Templo Romano of Cordoba is free of charge, until capacity is reached. No tickets or advance booking are needed. Access is via the street on Claudio Marcelo. For large groups or enquiries, the contact given is museos@ayuncordoba.es

Once you finish visiting the Templo Romano of Cordoba, the easiest option is to make the most of being right in the centre and continue with a guided tour to put the rest of the city into context without leaving the area.

If you'd like something quick and easy, the Cordoba free tour lasts 2 hours and is free. If you'd rather have a longer route with more stops, the complete Cordoba tour lasts 4 hours and starts from €44.