Area archeologica del Tempio di Giove Anxur (Monte Sant'Angelo)

The archaeological complex on Monte Sant'Angelo rises above Terracina, joining a Roman sanctuary, defensive structures and monumental substructures on a terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast. The temple is traditionally associated with Jupiter Anxur, though other interpretations of the ancient cult have also been proposed.

Why it matters

The sanctuary dates to the first decades of the first century BC. Its terraces combine the temple podium, a long cryptoporticus, a fortified complex known as the Castrum and the smaller Piccolo Tempio. Together they reveal the site's religious and strategic importance above the ancient Via Appia, now part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Via Appia, Regina Viarum.

What to notice

The cryptoporticus extends about sixty metres along the lower terrace, with a barrel vault and openings in one side. A natural cavity in its wall has been interpreted as an oracular grotto. The main temple was hexastyle and pseudoperipteral, with six columns across its front and a Corinthian porch. Higher up, the Castrum preserves a south-facing U-shaped portico and a defensive circuit of nine circular towers. The Piccolo Tempio has nine arches, five of which survive, as well as a mosaic floor and traces of frescoes.

Context and history

The sanctuary stood above the Roman town of Tarracina. The temple's traditional dedication is to Jupiter Anxur, or Jupiter as a child; other readings associate the site with Feronia or Venus, and its cult history remains debated. A Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Michael occupied part of the ancient structures in the ninth century, leaving frescoes in the Piccolo Tempio and contributing the name Monte Sant'Angelo to the hill.