The most beautiful temples to visit Italy

The temple of Castor and Pollux (the Dioscuri) is said to date back to the early ^5th century BC, after the two brothers appeared to the Romans on the battlefield during the war against the Latins. Dedicated to these twin gods who protected the riders (sons of Jupiter and Leda, and Helen's brothers), he suffered multiple destruction. The last one spared only three Corinthian columns from the time of Augustus, which are still admired.

It is one of the most beautiful monuments of the Renaissance. The old Gothic church was transformed between 1447 and 1460 by Sigismondo Malatesta, who is buried there. To do this, he called on the greatest artists of his time: for the façade, the Florentine architect Leon Battista Alberti was inspired by ancient Roman architecture and the model of the triumphal arch. Inside, there is a remarkable fresco by Piero della Francesca depicting Sigismondo Malatesta praying in front of San Sigismondo. Behind the altar is a Crucifix made by Giotto in 1312.

The cult of Cybele came from the East and was introduced to Rome in 200 BC. Considered the mother of the gods or the great goddess, she was the goddess of fertility and her symbol was the betyl, a black stone with a phallic shape. The construction of this temple began in 204 and was completed in 191 BC. It was damaged several times in the course of history, notably during two devastating fires: in 111 BC and in year 3 of our era. Augustus had it restored.

Only eight Ionic columns (4th century AD) will show you the location of the Temple of Saturn. This is all we have left of the building in which the treasure and official government documents were kept. The feasts dedicated to the god Saturn (the Saturnalia) began every year on December 17 and they signed the end of the year. Curiosity: near the temple stood the Miliarum Aureum, a kind of milestone that was supposed to mark the "zero point" from which all the distances of the Empire were calculated.