Temple of Castor and Pollux, Roman temple in Campus Martius, Italy
The Temple of Castor and Pollux is a Roman sanctuary on the Forum with three surviving Corinthian columns and an entablature reaching about 19 meters tall. The complex originally contained about 25 separate rooms and served not only for worship but also as a meeting place for senators and a checking station for weights and measures.
The sanctuary was dedicated in 484 BC after Romans received help from two divine twins during a battle. The building later suffered a devastating fire and was rebuilt under Emperor Tiberius in the early 1st century.
The temple bears the name of two divine brothers who were believed to have helped Romans in battle. Today visitors can observe how this place was woven into daily Forum life, where people conducted trade and gathered.
The site sits in the heart of the ancient Forum and is easy to reach on foot, with clear views of the remaining structures from several angles. It is best visited early in the morning when fewer visitors are present and details of the columns and stonework are easier to see.
Excavations revealed that one of the temple rooms served as a working space for a dentist in ancient Rome. This unexpected discovery shows that such sanctuaries also served practical everyday purposes and were not solely reserved for prayer.
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