Temple of Augustus and Livia, Vienne, France
Nope, not Greece, not Italy, not even Cyprus. It’s actually France! Yes, it’s a little surprising to find such stereotypically Roman architecture so far from home, but there’s actually a decent amount of Roman remnants here in France. The temple was erected by emperor Claudius and survived the fall of the Romans as well as everything since then mostly because the citizens had the foresight to convert it to a church (“Notre Dame de Vie”). It dates back to 10-20 BC – needless to say, it’s very old. And very unexpected. While Vienne is an attractive town, it’s not terribly distinctive at first. One walks through small streets ducking old women with shopping carts and old men with berets and baguettes (I might be playing up the stereotypes a little). One turns the corner, and suddenly, wham. An open square lined with cafes and little shops, all facing this magnificent Roman temple dedicated to a long-dead-but-never-forgotten emperor. C’est magnifique, ne c’est pas?
More on European History
- Castillo Xativa, Spain
- Fantoft Stave Church, Norway
- Sacra di San Michele, Italy
- Danish Sugar Factory, Denmark
- Fisherman’s Bastion, Hungary
Oui, c’est magnifique! I didn’t know there were still temples like this in France, beautiful picture. If you’re interested in history, please visit and follow my blog at http://publishistory.wordpress.com/ (I’ll follow you back!) – I’d love to hear your feedback. All the best! 🙂