Temple of imperial Worship

The Temple of Imperial Worship is one of the most relevant archaeological findings in Augusta Emerita. It is located in Calle Holguín, in Mérida, next to the Plaza de la Constitución.

In its time, it was a monumental building symbolizing imperial power and occupying a plot of 748 square metres and 38 metres long.

Its portico has six columns and the transversal cella has allowed archaeologists to compare this temple with the Temple of Concord in Rome.

The religious precinct in which this temple was included was built late into the rule of Tiberius, who ruled between 14 and 37 a.D. Its purpose was to worship the figure of the Emperor, that is, to serve as a vehicle for propaganda which praised the power of the Roman emperor and his family and became part of the official Roman religion. Symbolically it was so important to create this space within the city that, in order to build the temple at the exact right spot, Romans did not hesitate to demolish four blocks.

Remains of the temple were discovered during an urgent intervention directed by José María Álvarez, in the early eighties. In the following years, it was possible to document the stratigraphic sequence of the site, the relationship between the temple ant the square in which it stood and better knowledge was acquired about the building’s architecture.

The sculptures which have made it to these days are a part of the podium which as over three metres high, and made with granite blocks covered in marble. The floor of the square that was overlooked by this temple has also been preserved as have the original columns and cornices, which reached a height of 14.25 m.

There are original drawings to help visitors understand its role in Roman times and later.