Temple of Hadrian

On your left, right opposite the Piazza della Pietra, you’ll see the 11 Corinthian columns that were once part of the Temple of Hadrian, also known as Hadrianeum. In ancient times, this area was known as Campus Martius, Latin for “Field of Mars,” and covered some 2 km² of floodplain outside the sacred boundary of the city of Rome. The Campus Martius was annexed to the city during the reign of Augustus, who went on to build a host of public monuments, including the Pantheon, the Altar of Augustan Peace and the imperial mausoleum. 2 centuries later, Emperor Antoninus Pius built a gigantic temple in honor of Hadrian, framed on all sides by 15-meter-high Corinthian columns mounted on 4-meter-high podiums, which have since sunk into the ground. In the 17th century, part of the temple adjoined a building housing the papal customs office, today the Chamber of Commerce. As for the reliefs found on the columns, they depict scenes alluding to Hadrian’s commitment to peace, and they are now housed in the Capitoline Museums inside the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori.