The Temple of Hercules Victor is located in Piazza Bocca della Verità, near the Temple of Portunus and the Bocca della Verità in Rome.
The temple was built towards the end of the 2nd century b.C. and it is the oldest preserved marble building in Rome. Erroneously known as the Temple of Vesta, it was actually dedicated to Hercules Victor, the protector of the traders who operated in the nearby Forum Boarium, an area intended for the cattle market.
The temple is built of Hellenic marble and features twenty Corinthian columns. The base is made up of blocks of tuff, some of which are made of Lunense marble. Under the emperor Tiberius, it was probably restored after the flood of 15 a.C.
Inside the temple, there was a magnificent bronze statue of Hercules Victor, perhaps created by Skopas Minor, a Greek sculptor from the 2nd century b.C. Today, this statue is preserved in the Capitoline Museums.
In the 12th century, the temple was transformed into a church called Santo Stefano delle Carrozze. Subsequently, in the 16th century, it was dedicated to Santa Maria del Sole following the discovery of an image of the Virgin considered miraculous in the Tiber. The interior of the building still preserves a fresco of the Madonna and Child with Saints from the 15th century.
In 1809, under the Napoleonic Empire, the architect Giuseppe Valadier was commissioned by the French government to restore the temple, trying to restore its ancient splendor.
The Temple of Hercules Victor is therefore a historical site of great importance in Rome, with a history rich in transformations and different cultural meanings over the centuries.
INFO
ADDRESS: Piazza della Bocca della Verità
HOURS: temporarily closed
Entrance only with the guided tour or companion upon reservation for individuals, groups, schools
CONTACTS: www.coopculture.it/it
How to get there: (we have chosen public transport)
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TEL: +39 06 48 49 17
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