Roman Temple of Évora

The Roman Temple of Évora is a temple of the 1st century AD on Largo Conde de Vila Flor, in the centre of Évora, on the site of the forum of the Roman town of Ebora Liberalitas Julia. It was long called the Temple of Diana, a name that goes back to a theory of the Jesuit Manuel Fialho in the 17th century, but it was probably dedicated to the cult of the emperor Augustus.

The temple is a National Monument since 1907 and part of the Historic Centre of Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Roman Temple of Évora on Largo Conde de Vila Flor — The Roman Temple of Évora, on Largo Conde de Vila Flor.

What to see at the Roman Temple of Évora

Podium: a base of large granite blocks, about 3.5 metres high, almost intact.
Columns: fourteen Corinthian columns with granite shafts, and bases and capitals of white Estremoz marble.
Plan: the original rectangular plan of the temple, which remains despite later changes.
Forum setting: excavations in the 20th century found traces of a portico and a pool of water around the temple.

History of the Roman Temple of Évora

1st century AD: the temple is built on the forum of the Roman town.
Middle Ages: the temple is enclosed by later walls and buildings, which protect the columns.
17th century: the Jesuit Manuel Fialho puts forward the theory that the temple was dedicated to Diana.
1860s: the later masonry around the temple is removed, and the monument is restored under the architect Giuseppe Cinatti.
10 January 1907: the temple is classified as a National Monument.
1986: the temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Historic Centre of Évora.

Visiting the Roman Temple of Évora

Access: the temple stands in an open square and can be seen at any time.
Nearby: the Museu de Évora, the Lóios convent and Évora Cathedral are around the same square.