How a Roman temple in France became the blueprint for American government buildings

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Maison carrée in Nîmes is one of the best-preserved Roman temples in existence. Its enduring influence spans centuries and continents, serving as the direct architectural inspiration for Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia State Capitol and shaping the neoclassical aesthetic that defines many of the world’s most iconic public structures.

Constructed in the early first century, between 4 and 7 AD, the Maison carrée was dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, the grandsons and adopted heirs of Augustus. Though the original bronze dedication was lost in medieval times, a local scholar named Jean-François Séguier reconstructed the text in 1758 by analyzing the pattern of holes left by the original bronze letters on the frieze. This discovery confirmed the temple’s role as a caesareum, a structure central to the Imperial cult.

Architecturally, the building is a masterclass in Roman adaptation. While it draws on the Tuscan-style principles described by Vitruvius, it employs the ornate Corinthian order. Its layout is distinctively Roman, featuring a deep portico that occupies nearly a third of the building's total length—a design choice that emphasizes the facade far more than the typical Greek temple. The structure is pseudoperipteral, meaning twenty engaged columns are embedded into the walls of the cella, creating a sense of depth and complexity that has captivated architects for generations.

The temple's survival is the result of centuries of adaptive reuse and restoration. For much of its history, it was obscured by adjoining buildings, only regaining its original sense of isolation in the 19th century when those structures were demolished. It served as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nîmes from 1821 until 1907. More recently, a major restoration between 1988 and 1992 cleared the surrounding square, revealing the ancient forum's layout and setting the stage for the modern Carré d'Art gallery designed by Sir Norman Foster. In September 2023, this remarkable site was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, cementing its status as a vital piece of human history.

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