Area Sacra di Largo Argentina

Area Sacra di Largo Argentina

Area Sacra di Largo Argentina is a square located in the archaeological zone of the Campus Martius in Rome, containing the remains of four Roman temples built during the Roman Republic. The ruins of the four temples are referred to as Temples A, B, C, and D, as their dedications were uncertain at the time of excavation.

Temple A was built in the 3rd century BC and may have been dedicated to Giuturna. A church of San Nicola dei Cesarini, built on the site of the original temple, still has remnants that survive today. Temple B is the only circular temple among the four, and six of its columns still remain. The temple is now known as Aedes Fortunae Huiusce Diei, dedicated to the goddess Fortuna. Fragments of statues excavated from this site are now housed in the Capitoline Museums. Temple C is the oldest of the four, dating from the 4th to 3rd century BC, and was likely dedicated to Feronia, a goddess associated with fertility and the harvest. Temple D is the largest of the four, built in the 2nd century BC, and may have been dedicated to the guardian deities of sailors, the Permarini. Only a part of this temple has been excavated; the remainder lies beneath the modern Via Florida.

In the square stands the Torre del Papito, and nearby is the Teatro Argentina, built in 1732 and now managed by the Rome municipality. The site of Temple D now houses the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. This center is responsible for neutering, caring for stray cats, and helping them find new homes. The sanctuary has become a tourist attraction, drawing many visitors who come to see the cats of Rome roaming among ancient ruins.

Largo di Torre Argentina

Why go: Rome’s most fascinating cat sanctuary

Continent: Europe

Country/Region: Italy

Province/State: Lazio Region

City: Rome