Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

An Ancient Roman Temple in Rome called the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina was later turned into the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda, also known as "San Lorenzo in Miranda" a Roman Catholic church. It is situated on the Via Sacra, across from the Regia, in the Forum Romanum.

Beginning in 141 AD, the temple was built by Emperor Antoninus Pius. It was first dedicated to Faustina the Elder, his deceased and deified wife. Faustina was the first Roman empress to have a permanent presence in the Forum Romanum as a result of this. After Antoninus Pius passed away in 161 AD, he was elevated to a god, and Marcus Aurelius renamed the temple to honor both Antoninus and Faustina.

In the seventh century, the temple was transformed into Miranda's Chiesa di San Lorenzo, a Roman Catholic church. Pope Martin V gave the church to the Collegio Degli Speziali (Guild of Apothecaries), then known as the "Universitas Aromatorium" in 1429 or 1430. The Guildhall next to the College is still in service, and it has a tiny museum with a receipt for medication that Raphael signed. After this time, side chapels were constructed. The typical eastern apse is missing from the church since it was never added in order to preserve the temple's structural stability. To prepare the ancient temple for the visit of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to Rome in 1536, the church was substantially destroyed and the side chapels were taken down. Orazio Torriani remodeled the church in 1602, adding a single nave and three new side chapels while enclosing it within the cella of the temple. The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence (1646) is depicted in the reredos painting by Pietro da Cortona, and the Madonna and Child with Saints (1626) by Domenichino is displayed in the first chapel on the left.