Templi dell'Acropoli (Tempio di Vesta e Tempio di Tiburno)

Two ancient temples stand on Tivoli's acropolis above the gorge of Villa Gregoriana. A rectangular temple and a circular one occupy artificial terraces in the Castrovetere quarter, their classical masonry preserved through centuries of use as churches.

Why it matters

The temples are among the most visible survivals of ancient Tibur. The rectangular building dates to the second century BCE and the round temple to the first century BCE. Their precise ancient dedications remain uncertain: the round temple is traditionally called the Temple of Vesta or the Temple of the Sibyl, while the rectangular one has been associated with Hercules or Tiburno.

What to notice

The rectangular temple stands on a travertine podium and retains four frontal columns with half-columns engaged along the cella walls. The circular temple combines a tufa cella with a travertine podium and an ambulatory ringed by Corinthian columns; its entablature alternates bucrania and garlands. A niche in the rear wall has been associated with the legend of the Sibyl Tiburtina, though the building's dedication is not certain.

Context and history

Both temples survived in part because they were adapted for Christian worship. The rectangular temple became the church of San Giorgio, documented from 978 and used until the nineteenth century. The round temple served as Santa Maria Rotonda, retaining fragments of frescoes from its medieval life. Their position above the Aniene gorge links the monuments to Tivoli's ancient civic centre and to the landscape that inspired later artists and travellers.