Templo Romano

Lonely Planet review

Opposite the museum is the complete Templo Romano dating from the 2nd or early 3rd century. It is the best-preserved Roman monument in Portugal, and probably on the Iberian Peninsula. Though it's commonly referred to as the Temple of Diana, there's no consensus about the deity to which it was dedicated, and some archaeologists believe it may have been dedicated to Julius Caesar.

How did these 14 Corinthian columns, capped with Estremoz marble, manage to survive in such good shape for some 18 centuries? The temple was apparently walled up in the Middle Ages to form a small fortress, and then used as the town slaughterhouse. It was only rediscovered late in the 19th century. Obviously these unwitting preservation techniques worked, as the imposing colonnade is stunningly complete.