Description

The temple was built by the Galatians in A.D. 10 as a tribute to Augustus during the emperor's lifetime, and later reconstructed by the Romans in the 2nd century. In anticipation of his own death, Augustus prepared a total of four documents (a list of his lifetime deeds, a financial and military accounting of the state of the empire, orders for his funeral, and his last will and testament) with instructions that the documents be dispatched and publicly displayed throughout the Roman Empire. Copies of the four documents have been found throughout ancient Rome; this temple displays the best-preserved copy of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, or Deeds of Deified Augustus (written in both Greek and Latin), which represents an invaluable historical resource. Unfortunately, millennia of seismic activity and exposure to the elements have taken their toll on the temple, which is encased in decayed and rusted scaffolding and closed to the public. Inclusion in 2002 on the World Monument Fund's list of most endangered sites has afforded it renewed attention -- an ambitious study for restoration is currently underway by a joint project with the University of Trieste in Italy and the Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara. Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.