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Date: 18-16BC
MAISON CARREE
Means: ‘Square House’ in French
Location: Nimes, South of France (one of the
wealthiest cities of the Roman provence of Gaul )
Length: 31.8m
One of the best preserved temples to be found anywhere in the
territory of the former Roman Empire.
It was built about 16 BC by Augustus’s friend, general, and
son-in-law, Agrippa, (also the original patron of the Pantheon in
Rome)
Width: 15m
Materials: Limestone
Who was it built by? Marcus Agrippa (Augustus’
son-in-law)
Inscription:
Where? On the entablature
Dedication? To Agrippa’s sons (Augustus’
grandsons) and expected heirs, Gaius and Lucius,
(but both died before Augustus).
Originally dedicated to Roma and Augustus, then reassigned.
The original inscription dedicating the temple to Gaius and
Lucius was removed in medieval times. However, a local
scholar reconstructed the inscription in 1758 from the order and
number of the holes in the portico's facade, to which the bronze
letters had been affixed.
Style/Influenced by Greek and Etruscan (Italian)
temples:
The text of the dedication read (in translation): "To Gaius
Caesar, son of Augustus, Consul; to Lucius Caesar, son of
Augustus, Consul designate; to the princes of youth."
GREEK: made of stone, surrounded by columns
(peripteral) which are free-standing in real Greek
temples but in this & most Roman examples the
back columns are engaged – meaning ½ columns
joined to the wall (this pseudo-peripteral).
The temple was rededicated as a Christian church in the fourth
century, saving it from the widespread destruction of temples
that followed the adoption of Christianity as Rome's official
state religion.
ETRUSCAN (or latin) influence – only front entrance
– with a porticap or front porch with the room
(cella) in the back ½, and the whole temple on a
raised foundation.
It subsequently became a meeting hall for the city's consuls, a
canon's house, a stable during the French Revolution and a
storehouse for the city archives. It became a museum after
1823. Its French name derives from the archaic term carré long,
literally meaning a "long square", or rectangle - a reference to
the building's shape.
Where is Nimes?
PEDIMENT
Tympanu
m
ENTABULATUR
E
Cornice
Frieze
Architrave
COLONNADE
THE INSCRITION IS LOST, BUT HAS BEEN RECONSTRUCTED FROM THE HOLES LEFT BY THE REMOVED METAL LETTERING
G. CAESARI (Gauis Caesar) AVGVSTI.F. (Augustus’s son) COS (consul) L. CAESARI (Gucuis Caesar) AVGVSTI.F. (Augustus’s son) COS.DESIGNATO (consul designate)
PRINCIPIBVS (Princes of ) IVVENTVTIS (Youth)
These boys were sons of Augustus’ daughter and Agrippa (the guy who had the temple built. They were heir’s to the empire but both died before Augustus (probably by foul
means)
Capital
s
EXTERIOR FEATURES with Roman/Etruscan and Greek features
Strong frontal orientation is an ETRUSCAN (italian) feature (enter only from the front)
Stone construction and surrounded by columns - a GREEK feature
Frieze elaborate
acanthus design
[GREEK decoration]
Corinthian
Capitals originate
in 5th century Athens
Engaged
Columns –
Fluted Columns
[GREEK]
cosmetic ½
column - tall
slender, fluted
“hexastyle”Six
column frontage –
[GREEK]
Staircase
Broad, 15 steps
High podium
[Etruscan]
3.6m high
(Etruscan)
Deep entrance porch
2 more columns (Etruscan)
cella
PLAN VIEW
Pseudo-peripteral colonnade: pseudo=appears; peripteral = sorrounded by columns
(greek feature). Columns are free at portico end, and engaged (1/2 columns) at cella end
Hexastyle
colonnade
Deep
porch
Cella (small chamber)
The Maison Carrée is a perfect example of Vitruvian architecture in its most classical mode.
Raised on a 2.85 m high podium (Etruscan influence), the temple dominated the forum of the Roman city, forming a rectangle almost
twice as long as it is wide, measuring 26.42 m by 13.54 m.
The façade is dominated by a deep portico almost a third of the building's length.
It is a pseudoperipteral hexastyle design with six Corinthian columns under the Pediment at either end, and twenty engaged
columns embedded along the walls of the cella.
The temple was originally inside a large 2000m2 sanctury
Exterior
Rear
Exterior Decoration in rear
The Entablature
Cornice -top section
of entablature.
Frieze - with foliage
and acanthus leaves
Architrave – directly
above columns
Corinthian Capitals
(acanthus leaves)
Fluted (grooved)
engaged columns
Ceiling of PORTICO
Ceiling under porch has coffers for floral decoration