La Maison Carrée
Inspired by the temples of Apollo and Mars Ultor in Rome, this Gallo-Roman temple was built during the 1st century B.C. in honour of Lucius and Gaius Caesar, the adopted heirs of Augustus known as the « princes of youth ».
La Maison Carrée – a perfectly preserved temple from the Ancient World
Inspired by the temples of Apollo and Mars Ultor in Rome, this Gallo-Roman temple was built during the 1st century B.C. in honour of Lucius and Gaius Caesar, the adopted heirs of Augustus known as the « princes of youth ». The name Maison Carrée (literally square house) is a misnomer as the rectangular temple is 26 metres long, 15 metres wide and 17 metres high. It is the only totally-preserved temple dating from Antiquity in the world. This is probably due to the fact that it has been constantly in use since the Middle Ages as a town hall, church, stables, dwelling, consular centre, prefecture, archive centre and museum. Situated in the historic centre of Nîmes, between the Arènes and the Tour Magne, La Maison Carrée is an essential place to visit for those keen to know more about Nemausus, the Roman name for Nîmes.
La Maison Carrée is as amazing outside as inside ! It stands on a pedestal in the centre of a huge, open square and architecture buffs should take time to admire details of the pediment, Corinthian capitals, frieze and cornice, ceiling and pronaos. The film «Nemausus, the birth of Nîmes » is shown non-stop every day inside La Maison Carrée. It tells the story of the foundation of the town of Nîmes by following the destiny of an imaginary family through the years between 55 B.C. and 90 A.D.
The silhouette of La Maison Carrée is reflected in the glass walls of the Carré d’Art just opposite. This modern building, designed in 1993 by the architect Norman Foster, houses the City Library, Museum of Contemporary Art and « Le Ciel de Nîmes » restaurant whose rooftop terrace offers a different view of the square and the city. Not far from here, round off your tour of Roman Antiquity by visiting the Musée de la Romanité and Arènes amphitheatre, then stroll through the Jardins de la Fontaine. Go shopping in the nearby pedestrianised streets of the city centre and the Centre Commercial de la Coupole (shopping centre) or relax in the sunshine with a drink or cup of tea at one of the countless pavement cafés.
Employees of Gîtes de France du Gard who come from Nîmes recommend the party atmosphere during « Jeudis de Nîmes » which take place every Thursday in July and August. Walk around the Maison Carré among the local craftspeople who display their creations there or sit at a nearby pavement café to enjoy the dancers and musicians.
La Maison Carrée is managed by « Culturespaces » along with the Arènes, the Tour Magne and is open all year round. Tickets can be bought on-site, on the website www.arenes-nimes.com or via the FNAC network. The temple is also part of many guided tours run by Nimes Office de Tourisme. Situated on the edge of the pedestrianised area, the site is easy to get to on foot by bus, bike or car (La Maison Carrée and La Coupole car parks very closeby). The railway station is 1km away.
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