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Temple of the Nymphs in Rome: the columns of ancient Rome in Via delle Botteghe Oscure
Strolling through the city centre, between Largo Argentina and Piazza Venezia, it is easy to walk straight past. But in Via delle Botteghe Oscure, a piece of ancient Rome lies hidden: the Temple of the Nymphs. Two columns and part of the foundations are all that remains above ground of an ancient temple, which was re-discovered almost by chance in 1938. It is a small glimpse into the city of two thousand years ago.
A history of fires and rebirths
Its story is a turbulent one. Probably built between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, the temple was devastated by a great fire that swept through the Campus Martius in 80 AD. The Emperor Domitian gave it a new lease of life, rebuilding it to even greater levels of grandeur. He surrounded it with a large colonnaded portico, transforming the entire area.
A secret in the cellars
And here there is a secret that very few people know. To see another part of the temple, you have to go underground. In the cellars of a nearby building in Via Celsa, the original wall of the cella — the inner chamber of the temple — is still preserved, along with the base on which the statue of the deity once stood. This is a veritable journey through time.
The remains of the temple are always freely visible from the street. The underground sections are not open to the public except during special guided tours.
