Showing posts with label Piazza di Pietra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piazza di Pietra. Show all posts

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Hadrian's Temple - mysterious slash mark and incense sticks


Built by Emperor Antoninus Pius in 145 AD, 
the temple is dedicated to Emperor Hadrian, hence the name. There were originally 38 Corinthian columns but today only 11 from the North side have survived.
Pope Innocent XII commisioned Carlo Fontana to turn the building into a Papal Custom Office. That was in the 17th century. Today, it houses the Borsa Valori or the Rome Stock Exchange. 
If you look from this angle, it looks as if Goliath slashed the columns at a slanted angle , with a big sword.
Wild guess ,but it was probably caused by an earthquake.