temple of Diana

Nîmes, France

Freely accessible

Public space — no opening hours to check.

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Built in the 1st century under Augustus, the so-called Temple of Diana in Nîmes stands as an ambiguous ruin near the spring of La Fontaine, which once anchored an Augusteum—a sanctuary devoted to imperial cult centered on a nymphaeum. Despite its name, the building's basilica-like floor plan and absence of archaeological or literary evidence suggest it may have been a library rather than a temple dedicated to Diana. Its façade underwent rebuilding in the 2nd century, and in medieval times it served as a monastery, a function that preserved it through the centuries. Excavated in 1745 during landscaping of the surrounding garden, the structure caught the attention of 18th-century painters including Hubert Robert. Designated a historical monument in 1840, it remains accessible today within the Jardins de la Fontaine.