Maison Carrée in Nimes was built in around 20 or 19 BCE, during the Roman urbanization of the Celtic’s land in southern France (Gaul). Maison Carrée was one of several temples built under the rule of Augustus Caesar. It is 82 feet long and 40 feet wide and 40 feet tall.
The name Maison Carrée is derived from archaic French carré long, meaning ‘long square’ for the obvious reason that it is rectangular in shape. It was originally commissioned by Augustus Caesar’s son-in-law Marcus Agrippa, but the person who designed it is unknown. It is known that Greek architecture heavily influenced the design of Maison Carrée, which is clear from the extensive use of Corinthian order in the columns. However, by this time, the Roman architects had developed …show more content…
This is confirmed by a high axial staircase that ascends to the top of the podium.
Fourth, such temples must possess a pranaos, a porch or open area at the front, which may or may not be colonnaded. A panoramic view should be available from which the auspices might be taken.
Fifth, Temples must have an enclosed area behind the porch usually divided in three as per the Tuscan type, but much more varied in Etrusco-Italic examples, called the cella which would be home to the cult statue or statues, directly on the main axis of the building, facing the entrance.
Archeological survey at Nimes has verified that there used to be a forum at the intersection of the decumanus maximus and the cardo maximus. Hence, a centrally located forum, with open space that ran northward from the Maison Carrée is proof that temple was central to the town of Nimes. Speculations from various excavations around Maison Carrée suggest that the temple served as an elegant axial temple for the forum. The temple is said to have had porticoes on the side that led all the way to the back of it to a site which could have been a colonnaded public building like a basilica or a
The name Maison Carrée is derived from archaic French carré long, meaning ‘long square’ for the obvious reason that it is rectangular in shape. It was originally commissioned by Augustus Caesar’s son-in-law Marcus Agrippa, but the person who designed it is unknown. It is known that Greek architecture heavily influenced the design of Maison Carrée, which is clear from the extensive use of Corinthian order in the columns. However, by this time, the Roman architects had developed …show more content…
This is confirmed by a high axial staircase that ascends to the top of the podium.
Fourth, such temples must possess a pranaos, a porch or open area at the front, which may or may not be colonnaded. A panoramic view should be available from which the auspices might be taken.
Fifth, Temples must have an enclosed area behind the porch usually divided in three as per the Tuscan type, but much more varied in Etrusco-Italic examples, called the cella which would be home to the cult statue or statues, directly on the main axis of the building, facing the entrance.
Archeological survey at Nimes has verified that there used to be a forum at the intersection of the decumanus maximus and the cardo maximus. Hence, a centrally located forum, with open space that ran northward from the Maison Carrée is proof that temple was central to the town of Nimes. Speculations from various excavations around Maison Carrée suggest that the temple served as an elegant axial temple for the forum. The temple is said to have had porticoes on the side that led all the way to the back of it to a site which could have been a colonnaded public building like a basilica or a