Maison Carrée (Square House), Nimes (must see)

The Square House stands as a remarkable testament to Roman architecture and religious devotion in the charming city of Nîmes. This ancient Roman temple is celebrated as one of the best-preserved examples of Roman temples within the former Roman Empire's territory. It served as a mid-sized Augustan provincial temple dedicated to the Imperial cult, specifically as a caesareum.

The Maison Carrée has had a profound influence on architecture throughout history. It inspired the design of neoclassical structures such as the Église de la Madeleine in Paris, the St. Marcellinus Church in Rogalin, Poland, and, notably, the Virginia State Capitol in the United States. The Virginia State Capitol's design was the work of Thomas Jefferson, who, during his time as the Minister to France in 1785, had a stucco model of the Maison Carrée created. This temple's enduring impact extends across continents and centuries.

In recognition of its cultural significance and architectural splendor, the Maison Carrée was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023. Its historical origins date back to around 4–7 AD, when the temple was dedicated or rededicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, the grandsons and adopted heirs of Augustus, both of whom met untimely demises. Over the centuries, the original dedication inscription to Gaius and Lucius was lost, but in 1758, a local scholar, Jean-François Séguier, meticulously reconstructed the inscription based on the arrangement and number of holes on the front frieze and architrave, which had once held bronze letters.

The Maison Carrée embodies elements of a Tuscan-style Roman temple as described by Vitruvius, a Roman writer on architecture from the same era, albeit with the use of the Corinthian order. Elevated on a substantial podium, standing 2.85 meters high, the temple exhibits dimensions of 26.42 meters in length and 13.54 meters in width, creating a rectangular structure that is nearly twice as long as it is wide. Its imposing façade features a deep portico or pronaos that extends almost one-third of the building's total length, lavishly adorned with ornate columns and capitals. The presence of this extensive porch distinctly highlights the temple's frontal aspect, setting it apart from the designs of ancient Greek temples.

Upon entering through a grand door measuring 6.87 meters in height and 3.27 meters in width, visitors encounter the small, windowless interior, which originally housed the temple's shrine. Today, this space is used to host a film presentation that offers insights into Nîmes' rich Roman history. Although no ancient decorations remain within the cella, the Maison Carrée's architectural and historical significance continues to captivate visitors from around the world.