Roman Temple/Temple of Diana

Quite often, the Roman temple in the city of Evora is called the temple of Diana, but it had nothing to do with the Roman goddess of hunting. The temple received its name much later - from a legend composed by a priest. The construction of the temple dates back to the reign of Emperor Augustus, revered as a god. The temple was built in the I century AD, and was twice rebuilt in the II and III centuries. During the attack of Germanic tribes in the fifth century the temple was partially destroyed. In the Middle Ages, fragments of the building became part of the fortress. And in the period from the XIV century until 1836, the temple was used as a meat pavilion, and it was this active use that saved the temple from complete destruction.

Only after 1871 were the reconstruction of the temple started. The foundation has a rectangular shape, about 25 meters long, and 15 meters wide. Of the entire temple complex, only 14 Corinthian granite columns are more than 3 meters high. Most of them have capitals. The temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.