Tempio di Romolo (Temple of Romulus), Rome

The Temple of Romulus, wedged between the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Basilica of Maxentius along the Sacred Street, is traditionally linked to Valerius Romulus, the son of Emperor Maxentius. However, its true origins remain debated.

Some historians suggest that it originally served as a vestibule for the Temple of Peace, later repurposed by Maxentius, in the 4th century AD, as a temple honoring his son, who died in the year 309 at the tender age of four. Medieval sources and coins inscribed with “in eternal memory” phrase support this theory, though some argue the inscription may refer to a mausoleum on the Appian Way. Others claim the temple was dedicated to Constantine I.

A 19th-century theory proposes that the structure was once linked to the Temple of the Penates, which stood on the Velia Hill and, according to legend, was founded by Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome. Regardless of its origins, the temple was later incorporated into a Christian complex when Pope Felix IV converted part of it into the Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian in 527 AD. Over time, the structure underwent several modifications.

Architecturally, the circular temple is notable for its brick construction, concrete dome, and a façade that originally featured four statues. Its most striking feature still in place is the grand entrance, framed by two red porphyry columns, a material considered as valuable as gold in antiquity. Among its most remarkable elements is the original bronze doors, a rare surviving example from ancient Rome, still functioning with their original locking mechanism. Inside, a central circular hall is flanked by two symmetrical apsidal halls, maintaining a harmonious layout.

Despite centuries of change, the Temple of Divine Romulus remains one of the best-preserved structures in the Roman Forum.