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Photo: ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Archaeological site, 142
Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
2nd century Roman temple in Rome which was later converted into a Roman Catholic church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda or simply "San Lorenzo in Miranda"
- Within the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura”
At a glance
- Type
- Archaeological site
- Period
- Antiquity, 142
- Dedicated to
- Antoninus Pius
- Dedicated to
- Faustina the Elder
- Coordinates
- 41°53′32″ N, 12°29′12″ E
History and description
The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina was an ancient Roman temple in Rome, which was later converted into a Roman Catholic church, San Lorenzo in Miranda. It is located in the Forum Romanum, on the Via Sacra, opposite the Regia.
Temple
Antoninus Pius initiated the temple's construction in 141 AD. It was initially dedicated to his deceased and deified wife, Faustina the Elder. Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum. When Antoninus Pius was deified after his death in 161 AD, the temple was re-dedicated to both Antoninus and Faustina by his successor, Marcus Aurelius.
The building stands on a high platform of large grey peperino tufa blocks. The latter of two dedicatory inscriptions says, Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S.C. (English: For Deified Faustina, by decree of the Senate).
The eight monolithic Corinthian columns of its pronaos, made of Karystian marble, are 17 metres (56 ft) in height. The rich bas-reliefs of the frieze under the cornice, featuring griffins, acanthus scrolls, and candelabra, were often copied from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries.
Based on numismatic evidence, the temple was originally fenced off from the Via Sacra and a large, seated statue of Faustina would have been inside of the cella. Fragments of this statue and one of Antoninus Pius, which was added later, were discovered in front of the Temple.
Church
The temple was converted into a Roman Catholic church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda, perhaps as early as the seventh century, but it is only attested from the eleventh century work Mirabilia Urbis Romae. "Miranda" may derive from the name of a benefactress. At that time, it was thought that this was the location of the sentencing of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr to death by the Prefect of Rome, hence its dedication.
Christianization accounts for the survival of the cella and portico of the temple through the centuries, though it did not preserve the edifice from all damage. Originally, the podium was faced with white marble slabs, with matching marble mouldings at the top and bottom. Most of the marble facing was scavenged, except for the moulding. The deep grooves in the temple's columns are supposed to date to a medieval attempt to dismantle the pillared portico, either for spolia or to destroy the pagan temple. The grooves also may have been used to attach a makeshift roof over the portico. Also in the Middle Ages, a staircase was built on the side facing the Forum, but it is now impossible to enter from that side because there is a gap of circa 6 metres (20 ft) between the foot of the steps and the bronze door. Before the archeological excavations, the ground level was at this door. Excavations in front of the temple were undertaken in 1546, again in 1810, and at intervals from 1876.
In 1429 or 1430, Pope Martin V gave the church to the Collegio degli Speziali (Guild of Apothecaries), at the time officially denominated the "Universitas Aromatorium". The College still uses its adjoining guildhall, which contains a small museum that holds a receipt for medicine that Raphael signed. Side chapels were erected after this date. The church lacks the usual eastern apse: one was never added so as to retain the temple's structural integrity.
In 1536, the church was partially demolished and the side chapels removed in order to restore the ancient temple for the visit to Rome of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The church, now constrained within the cella of the temple, was remodelled in 1602 by Orazio Torriani, creating a single nave and three new side chapels. The main altar has a reredos canvas by Pietro da Cortona of the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence (1646), while the first chapel on the left hosts the Madonna and Child with Saints (1626) by Domenichino.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Temple of Antoninus and Faustina».
Timeline
- 142 ADBuilt
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Roma TerminiTrain, nearest
1.6 km as the crow flies
Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
Aeroporto di Roma-Ciampino13.6 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore archaeological sites in Lazio
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- Free 1st Sunday
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Temple of Antoninus and Faustina?
Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is in Rome, in the province of Roma (Lazio), Italy. GPS coordinates: 41.89214, 12.48669.
How old is Temple of Antoninus and Faustina?
Wikidata dates it to 142.
What else is there to see near Temple of Antoninus and Faustina?
Nearby you’ll find: Necropoli del tempio di Antonino Pio e Faustina (0 m away), Regia (0 m away), Arch of Fabius (0 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Roma) — ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 04 2022 Roma (Fori imperiali- Tempio di Antonino e Faustina) FO228692 Photo by Paolo Villa — Paolo Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 04 2022 Roma (Fori imperiali- Tempio di Antonino e Faustina) FO228693 SI Photo by Paolo Villa — Paolo Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 04 2022 Roma (Fori imperiali- Tempio di Antonino e Faustina) FO228695 Photo by Paolo Villa — Paolo Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foroa Eliza Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Rome) — Luistxo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foro romano - Templo de Antonino y Faustina - Roma 001 — Américo Toledano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AntoninoFaustinaTrabeazione — MM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AntoninoFaustinaTrabeazioneBis — MM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Forum temple frieze detail — Anthony M. from Rome, Italy, CC BY 2.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences