The Portico of Octavia

Before I first went to Rome I had never heard of the Portico of Octavia. Five words served me well on that trip. Although I had a rough idea of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see the words "I wonder what's over there?" became almost like a mantra. My hint for a first time visitor to Rome is this. If you say those words to yourself and time allows then go and have a look. This is how I discovered the portico of Octavia for myself.

The Portico is a beautiful example of Augustan architecture that hides behind the Theatre of Marcellus. Designed by the architects Sauros and Batrachos it replaced an earlier structure of Q. Caecilius Metellus of 147 BC, and a temple of Juno Regina built by Aemilius Lepidus in 178 BC. The portico originally consisted of a double colonnade with a 4 faced archway at each corner. It contained temples to Juno and Jupiter, a "schola" (school), a Curia (meeting hall for the Senate), and both Greek and Latin libraries. In antiquity the whole complex was known by the name Opera Octaviae. In front of the temples stood 75 statues of friends and generals of Alexander the Great who died at the Battle of Granikos. In the middle ages a fish market was built, and the portico owes its survival to its incorporation into the church of Sant. Angelo in Pescheria.

The Portico from the front and side. These photographs do not do it justice. I suppose I'll just have to go back and take some better ones ;-)