Hadrian’s Temple of Roma and Venus in Rome Italy

Temple of Roma and Venus (center)

The Roman emperor Hadrian built the largest temple in Rome dedicated jointly to the goddesses Roma and Venus. 

Statue of Roma standing

Statue of Roma seated

The temples were back to back, under one roof, with the temple of Roma facing west toward the traditional Roman Forum and the temple of Venus faced eastward toward the Coliseum.

Hadrian’s windowless temples would seem to have an Egyptian influence from his travels there and getting people into a spiritual mood amidst darkness and candlelight.  This, on a raised platform away from the street and foot traffic in the shadow of the Coliseum.

Venus apse

The image of Venus used in her temple was likely a copy of the Praxiteles Greek Venus with a Roman hairdo so famous at the time.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_of_the_Quintilii

The Roma temple end of the complex was built on with a church of the new Mary, and opposed to the church of the old Mary, its name later changed to Santa Francesca.

The apse of the Venus temple is still visible to the public, where on Good Friday Easter stories and pageants are presented for the tourists.

.