Interesting facts about the temple of Vesta. Temple of Vesta in Rome: about the goddess, her cult and features of the building. What was the cult of this goddess

On which tourists admire when visiting that part of the forum, which, according to the stories of the guides, adjoined the road in ancient times, these are the remains of the Temple of Vesta.

The temple of the goddess Vesta in ancient Rome was a special place. And what made him special was not at all the location near the temple of Caesar and Regia, and not that it was extremely prestigious to become a vestal. In this place, fire was constantly burning - this is what its special significance for Rome was. Eternal flame, inextinguishable hearth - one of the most important symbols of the well-being of the Empire. Local guides often tell tourists a legend that as soon as the fire in the sanctuary of Vesta goes out, the state will fall into decay. Paradoxical as it may seem, but after the temple was closed, things in the Empire really went from bad to worse.

Who is Vesta?

This ancient goddess of the hearth, the sacred fire that arises without man-made intervention. The goddess was also the personification of the sacrificial fire, and also symbolized the unity of the people of Rome.

The name of Vesta is associated in legends with the birth of the brothers who founded the Eternal City. According to the myths, their mother was a Vestal Virgin, who broke her vow to the goddess not of her own free will, but because of the deceit of Mars, the god of war.

There are no sculptural images of the goddess left. Therefore, it is impossible to understand how the Romans represented it. However, many coins with its chased image have survived to this day. They show the profile of a stern and haughty woman with a neat haircut and a characteristic Mediterranean nose shape. In addition to the profile of the goddess, the temple of Vesta in Rome was also depicted on the coins, which was one of the symbols of both the entire Empire and the Eternal City. There were no statues of the goddess in her temples at all, as well as in houses. The Romans believed that the fire in the hearth of the temple is Vesta, so there was no need for additional images.

What was the cult of this goddess?

The cult of Vesta, which existed for more than a millennium, was originally carried out by the forces of the daughters of kings. Subsequently, priestesses, who were called vestals, began to serve the goddess. The main duty of the priestesses was to maintain the fire in the hearth of the sanctuary. If the fire suddenly went out, it was considered a bad omen or evidence that one of the priestesses had violated her vow to the goddess and thereby angered her.

However, the fire was put out on purpose. This was done once a year, at the beginning of March. After attenuation, the hearth was cleaned and re-ignited by rubbing the sticks and a light focus obtained using a magnifying glass.

Holidays in honor of the goddess were called Vestalia. They passed at the beginning of summer. At this time, the temple of Vesta in Rome opened its doors, and barefoot women carried cakes as a gift to the goddess. It was a special holiday for everyone who was involved in the preparation of bread. Bread has been one of the symbols of Vesta since ancient times, when it was still baked in the ashes that remained hot after the fire had died down.

Therefore, on the holiday, all bakeries, ovens and mills were decorated with garlands of flowers. Donkeys were also dressed up and decorated with flowers. The donkey was a kind of sacred animal, a favorite of the goddess. According to legend, Vesta took a vow of celibacy. However, Priapus, the god of gardens and fields, saw her sleeping, and decided to take advantage of the helplessness of the goddess. But the donkey prevented him, waking Vesta with his loud cry. Another reason to dress up these animals was that they were directly related to the production of bread - they rotated millstones.

What was the sanctuary?

The Temple of Vesta on the Bull was built during the last years of the existence of the Republic. Scientists argue about the exact date of construction, since the temple was repeatedly restored and reconstructed. Conventionally, it is considered that it was built no later than the first century BC.

This is a round building with columns, which draws attention not to the luxury of patterns and decor or the majesty of size, but to the maximum simplicity, lack of frills and the high cost of the building material itself.

The sanctuary was a single architectural ensemble with the House of Vestals. Also, the Temple of Vesta in Rome was functionally connected to the Regia. The building itself was round, and comparatively small. The walls were surrounded by columns made in the Corinthian style. There was a hole in the roof through which smoke escaped. Several steps led up to the entrance to the temple. There were always vestals inside, both day and night. It was a kind of alternation of duty by the fire, most of all reminiscent of a modern guard of honor.

What was the secret purpose of the sanctuary?

According to legend, the temple of Vesta in Ancient Rome was not only a place of worship for the goddess and a symbol of the state. There was a cache inside the building. A kind of safe, which kept the greatest relics of the Eternal City.

According to legend, relics that Aeneas brought with him from under the walls of Troy were kept in a secret niche inside the building of the sanctuary. Among these relics were the image of Minerva and the Palladium - a statue of Athena, which is a talisman.

What is known about the cache?

The cache was located inside a stone podium, and was a recess, presumably 2.4 x 2.4 meters in size. Of course, he was not afraid of fires, because the stone does not burn.

However, the size and location of this ancient safe have not been established for certain. They are only calculated by scientists based on the architectural features of the building, the size and estimated dimensions of the relics. Ancient buildings as a whole are reconstructed in exactly the same way. But, since the main temple of the goddess Vesta in Rome was also reconstructed using calculations and comparison with others, the probability of error in everything related to the location and size of the safe niche is very high.

When and why was the sanctuary closed?

The Temple of Vesta in Rome for many centuries was the place where many girls of noble birth dreamed of being. Despite the fact that the Vestals took a vow of chastity, serving the goddess was one of the most prestigious occupations for a woman. This could be compared to government posts and military ranks that men aspired to achieve.

However, due to the fact that the fire in the temple was never supposed to go out, fires often occurred. During these disasters, the sanctuary burned out, then it was restored, practically rebuilding. At some point, those in power felt that Rome no longer needed this sanctuary. In 394, the temple closed its doors by order of Emperor Theodosius. Of course, the building quickly fell into disrepair and collapsed.

Rome, this eternal city, infinitely beautiful and so rich in history, never ceases to amaze. One of the places in Rome that you should definitely visit is the Temple of the goddess Vesta, located in the Roman Forum, not far from the Temple of Caesar.

Vesta in ancient Rome was the goddess of the hearth. She patronized the family and children. Vesta gave comfort and peace, helped to protect the hearth. That's why she was so important. To worship this powerful goddess in Rome, a complex was erected, consisting of the Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestals.

Vestals were called the priestesses of this goddess, who supported the fire in the temple day and night. Six girls, who were supposed to be beautiful, smart and virginal, lived in the House of the Vestals, caring for the sacred fire and performing magical rituals in the temple. The fire in the temple of Vesta, according to legend, symbolized the immortality of Rome. For every inhabitant of the ancient metropolis, this fire was sacred.

Initially, only the daughters of emperors and kings could be vestals. But later, rituals in honor of the goddess began to be carried out by ordinary priestesses. Vestals had to lead an ascetic life for 30 years, after which they were generously presented by the emperor for services to Rome and could get married.

The fire of the goddess Vesta always burned in the temple, the smoke from which went out into the open space in the roof.

The semicircular temple was surrounded by 20 columns, decorated with exquisite carvings. And inside this mysterious sanctuary, the sacred symbols of the Roman Empire, which the legendary Aeneas obtained in Troy, were kept in a secluded cache.

The Temple of Vesta was often subjected to fires. Every time after a devastating disaster, the wives of the emperors were obliged to carry out the reconstruction of the temple and make its decoration more luxurious than before. The last ancient reconstruction was carried out in the Temple of Vesta in 191 AD.

But, with the advent of Christianity, the temple of Vesta gradually began to fall into decay, and in 394 AD, by order of Emperor Theodosius, it was closed.

The temple of the goddess Vesta is one of the famous religious buildings of Ancient Rome. It was erected in honor of the goddess Vesta, who personified the hearth, family happiness and comfort. The temple is located in the very middle of the Roman Forum, namely in its southeastern part. Also nearby is the Temple of Caesar.

History of creation

A temple was erected near the Tiber River during the reign of Numa Pompilius. It happened around the 7th century BC. Located in the Bull Market, the Temple of Vesta has undergone restoration more than once. It burned for the first time in 394 BC, and in 191 AD, the last fire was recorded. But finally the temple of the goddess Vesta in Rome lost its grandeur during the reign of Emperor Theodosius in 394, when he banned the pagan religion. The ruins of the temple were found in 1877 during archaeological excavations.

The Temple of Vesta has an interesting architecture for Ancient Rome. Finished with snow-white marble and surrounded by 20 columns, it was also distinguished by its unusual round shape.

In the center of the structure itself, the Sacred Fire was always burning, which was a symbol of respect and worship of the goddess Vesta.

The House of the Vestal Virgins joined the temple of Vesta in Rome, and the residence of the main Pontiff was located nearby and was part of a single complex.

Cult of the goddess Vesta

The Temple of Vesta in Ancient Rome is interesting because there was no statue of the goddess herself inside. Instead of her image, in the middle was the Sacred Fire - a symbol of warmth and comfort, as well as the eternal strength and power of the unshakable Roman Empire. This is exactly what Vesta symbolized. According to legend, she rejected all the men who wooed her, and vowed to keep her virginity until the end of her days.

Vestals were the priestesses of the temple of the goddess Vesta in Rome. Their original duty was to see to it that the fire inside the temple did not go out. Only daughters from noble families were taken as Vestals when they were 6-10 years old. For thirty years they had to remain at the temple before they were allowed to leave its walls and even start a family. Up to this point, the priestesses of the temple were obliged to preserve their virginity.

If a Vestal Virgin violated her vow, she was buried alive in a previously dug dugout, leaving only a little food and water. The man who seduced her had no easier time - he was beaten with rods until his death.

For every June 9, there was a holiday held in honor of the goddess Vesta. Residents visited the temple with gifts, and on this day they freed their donkeys from all work. The donkey was considered a sacred animal, since, according to legend, it was he who woke Vesta when Priapus wanted to use her body.

How to get there

The Temple of Vesta can be reached by tram number 3 and get off at the stop called Parco Celio.

If you want to take the metro, then the station you need is called Colloseo (line B).

You can also get to your destination by buses under the following numbers: No. C3, No. 60, No. 75, No. 85, No. 87, No. 95, No. 175, No. 186, No. 271, No. 571, No. 810, No. 850.

Ticket price

The ticket will cost you € 12.00. The price of a reduced ticket is € 7.50. Children under 18 years old, as well as elderly people over 65 years old - admission is free.

The Temple of Vesta is an ancient Roman temple in Tivoli, a suburb of Rome, dated to the 1st century BC. Its ruins are located on the site of the city's acropolis and look towards the waterfalls of the river Aniene, which are now located in the park of Villa Gregoriana.

It is not known for certain who the temple was dedicated to - Hercules, the soothsayer Albunea, the local hero Tiburnus or Vesta, the patroness of the family hearth in Ancient Rome. Near the ruins of the temple, one can see another rectangular structure, also not yet reliably identified - it is often called the Temple of the Sibyl.

But the name of the builder of the Temple of Vesta is known - it was a certain Lucius Gellius, whose memory is immortalized in the inscription on the architrave. The center of the temple is a round cella (the inner part of a Greek or Roman temple), which is surrounded by 10 Corinthian columns (there were 18 in total). Inside there is a door and two windows. The frieze of the temple is decorated with carvings and bukraniya (an ornament in the form of a bull's head). The building of the temple is relatively well preserved, largely due to the fact that at one time it was Christianized and turned into the church of Santa Maria della Rotonda. But in the 16th century, Christian outbuildings almost completely disappeared.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Temple of Vesta with all its decorations was carefully sketched by several architects - Antoine Degode, Giuseppe Vasi, Giovanni Battista Piranesi and others, and later its structure served as a model for the creation of numerous landscape parks outside of Italy. For example, in England, imitations of the temple can be seen in the town of Stove and in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In Northern Ireland, Mussenden Temple at Downhill was modeled after the Temple of Vesta. In France, the temple inspired Richard Meek to create the Temple of Love in the Petit Trianon (a small palace on the lands of Versailles).

There is a park around the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli - it was created in the first half of the 19th century by order of Pope Gregory XVI, who wanted to restore the channel of Agnene after the flood of 1826. From ancient times, the river made a wide loop around the city's acropolis and fell into the plain below with four waterfalls. Today there are only two waterfalls left.