Temple of Augustus
Temple of Augustus
Temple of Augustus
a roman secret in Barcelona
In the middle of the old town we unexpectedly come across a Roman temple dedicated to Emperor Augustus.
My Rating:
The positives:
I give the temple five stars because it’s a real “wow”-experience. A Roman temple hidden away between the tiny alleyways of Barcelona. Also note that admission is free.
The negatives:
It gets a bit crowded when a city tour makes its way to the temple...
Last Modified: 29.01.2024 | Céline
Temple of Augustus
Tickets
The details
at a glance
Temple of Augustus
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
Hidden away inside a small courtyard, you can find an amazing relic from Roman times: four pillars of the former temple of Augustus.
This isn’t really a museum, but this place is part of the MUHBA city history museums. Admission is free and you can stop by (almost) any time and read the explanatory panels (Spanish, Catalan, English).
Temple of Augustus
a bit of history
The temple itself was built on the forum, today’s Palaca Jaume I., in the late 1st century B.C. in honor of Augustus. There it stood, towering above everything else, for four centuries, before becoming mainly irrelevant with the downfall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. Over time, the temple was deconstructed, and parts of the material were incorporated into homes.
The 19th century gave rise to a debate on whether the pillars should be accessible to the public, or whether they should remain inside the homes in order to remain protected.
Lluis Domènech i Montaner was eventually tasked with designing a special courtyard, and as a result, the pillars were opened up to the public in 1903/1904.
Official website of the Temple of Augustus (EN): bcn.cat/museuhistoriaciutat
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2013 – 2024
