The Enigmatic Edifice in Mérida, Spain': Not Everything Dedicated to Diana is,

The Enigmatic Edifice in Mérida, Spain': Not Everything Dedicated to Diana is,

In the radiant city of Mérida, Spain, one finds a construction disguised as a temple, but it's not a sanctuary for the Roman goddess Diana. Worried? Then, let's delve into the puzzles concealed within the Temple of Diana that reveals a clandestine palace.

The Temple of Diana in Mérida, Spain, is no ordinary temple. It's a construction originating from the Roman cult of the Emperor, constructed during the 1st century AD. It holds the esteemed positions of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Monumento Nacional. Its hexastyle design, with eleven columns on each lateral facade and a pórtico furnished with pilasters, might resemble another temple, but its creation belongs to the Flavian period (69-96 AD).

Though graced with stucco-covered columns, the roof has vanished, leaving behind the remnants of an triangular fronton with a semicircular arch. The Senate and the Roman emperor were worshipped underneath the temple’s facade within the temple’s cella. The peculiar detail is, in the 16th century, a palace was erected within the cella using Roman and Visigoth materials. In 2018, an interpretation center was unveiled to delve into the temple’s Roman uses and subsequent history.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nicolo Ciampini

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