Temple of Portunus
A remarkable example of Roman Republican architecture that dates back to the first century B.C., the Temple of Portunus is a reminder of the splendor of the Forum Boarium, an important hub for trade along the banks of the Tiber in ancient times. Portunus, a young god connected with water crossings and seaports, was the subject of the temple.
The Roman Republican period's style of architecture is typified by the union of this conventional Etruscan ground plan with the temple's Greek Ionic columns. Originally plastered to resemble Greek marble, the building was constructed from travertine and tuff. The common ancient bucranium or ox-skull motif is used to embellish the frieze, along with garlands, putti, candelabra, and other ornaments.
In the ninth century, the Temple of Portunus was transformed into a Christian church, and the interior of the cell was embellished with a stunning cycle of murals showing events from Mary's life. The temple was liberated from additions that had been made throughout the years in the 1920s, and many conservation measures were implemented to safeguard the building.
The Temple of Portunus was included in the List of World Monuments in 2006. The four inner walls of the temple, as well as the detached pieces of the medieval frescoes, underwent a thorough restoration from 2006 to 2008. In the same time frame, a new wooden roof was built, combining old roof tiles and thoughtful drainage, and a new door was erected at the cella's entrance. The front pediment on the north side of the temple was cleaned and restored beginning in 2008. The front facade's two central columns were preserved between May and October 2010, and in December of the same year, work started on the remaining columns and external walls. The biocide treatments, cleaning, and substitution of old iron wall clamps and beams with stainless steel reinforcements were all part of this project's phase. Between March 2011 and the spring of 2012, the east wall underwent restoration, and the south wall was finished in 2013. In September 2016, the west wall's conservation work is anticipated to be concluded.
