Temple of Diana

Ancient history seems to pop up around every corner as you walk through Merida. You're now standing in the heart of the old Roman forum, where the most important buildings of the city once stood, the magnificent Temple of Diana. This was the centre of political life, where justice was handed down, merchants traded, and sacrifices were made to honour the gods. In front of the temple stood a public gallery from which officials would address the citizens. Built in the 1st century AD, this is the only religious temple in Merida to survive intact into the 21st century. However, it’s not actually dedicated to Diana, the goddess of fertility and childbirth, but to the imperial cult. This worship of emperors began with Augustus, who declared his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, a god, making Augustus a kind of divine heir. While Augustus declined to be worshipped during his lifetime, he allowed temples and altars to be built in his honour. After his death, Emperor Tiberius embraced the cult and promoted the deification of Augustus, kicking off a long tradition of imperial worship across the empire. Now, back to the temple. Its size alone shows just how important it was within the Roman forum. Its elegant granite columns, standing 8 metres high, 6 at the front and 11 along each side, sit on a platform over 3 metres tall. Access was via a grand staircase, now lost to time. The entire structure was built using granite from local quarries and covered with stucco to give it a smooth, polished look. The reason it’s so well preserved today is thanks to an unusual twist in its history. In the 16th century, the Corbos family decided to build their Renaissance palace into the temple’s structure. Known as the “House of Miracles,” the residence used the ancient walls as part of its foundation. When the property was expropriated in 1972 to recover the Roman temple, part of the palace was preserved for its historical value. If you look closely, you can still see a section of wall and a balcony along the side. The Temple of Diana is part of the architectural ensemble that earned Merida its UNESCO World Heritage status.