“There’s a hidden Roman temple in Barcelona”, someone told me in my first year here. I pretty much laughed them off, thinking it was a joke. First of all, how could you hide something as big as a Roman temple? And second of all, wouldn’t everyone know about something so exciting?
Well, as it turns out…it’s totally true.
Having grown up in California, I’m still not quite used to the idea of Roman ruins being something “normal” or “boring.” I still experience an inner shriek of delight when I spot the dates on building facades, and they say “1800”.
So you can imagine how I react to Roman ruins of any kind, especially something as intriguing as a secret hidden temple.
These columns are over 2,000 years old – a mind-boggling fact. They’re still in fantastic condition, though they’re only a piece of what the Temple of Augustus would have been in its heyday.
It once sat in the center of the Roman Forum square, surrounded by important buildings. Today, the nearby Plaça Sant Jaume provides a similar function.
Though over the years the temple disappeared beneath the city, it was accidentally rediscovered. After this happy accident in the late 19th century, the Roman temple was beautifully restored. Today, it’s a lovely little stop in the Gothic Quarter – and free!
How to visit the Temple of Augustus:
Address: Carrer del Paradís, 10 (right around the corner from Ryan’s Paradís, the Irish pub).
Closest Metro stop: Jaume I on the yellow line or Liceu on the green line
Cost: It’s totally free!
Opening hours: Monday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Days closed: January 1, May 1, June 24, December 25
Other nearby attractions: Las Ramblas, the Cathedral of Barcelona, Plaça de Sant Felipe Neri, the Picasso Museum, Santa María del Mar church
Besos!
-Jess
…Ancient Roman anything???…YES, please!!…
…By the way–what whereabouts is this in the city???…
It’s right behind the cathedral. It’s kind of hidden away, so unless you get the right street it can be very tricky to find. 🙂 The easiest way is to go in from Plaça Sant Jaume and find the Irish pub on C/Paradís, and then it’s just a few steps away.
…Thanks!!…
It blows my mind when I’m in Europe and I’m in a building that is over 1000 years old.
Right? I have the same experience, it’s so surreal to think about!
Great video Jess! What a find this place is. Despite doing quite a bit of research on Barcelona for my future travels I have never come across this place before. Will definitely be adding it to my list.
Thanks Jen! This is a great little stop if you’re touring the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona.
Great video! So well done. I wish I could create videos like these – actually have no idea how to make a video sadly except for short clips!
Really cool way for a post for a change! Thanks for sharing this buried temple.
Thanks Alli! I have a friend helping me out, and I’m having a great time learning how to do videos. They take way longer than I thought at first!
Brilliant article, I’ve been to Barcelona twice now and never heard about this! Looks ace, I love ancient temples and history. Great video too, I wish I had the confidence to do something like this!
Thanks Paul! It was definitely a little awkward at first, because people do stare at you, but once you get over those first few attempts it’s actually lots of fun. 🙂
Looks so cool! I love hidden stuff like that!
Me too!
This is so interesting! — Also … this tapas route sounds like a dream! I LOVE tapas, we actually have a really great Spanish place in Kansas City that I like to visit. yummm… may have to make a little trip for it this summer now! 🙂 -Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Ahh tapas routes are the best! I wish they had them every day. Trying lots of yummy food is always fun. 😀
Sweet find! I’m with you on getting excited when dates are 1800 or older…one of the things i get the biggest kick out of is the ‘new’ town in Edinburgh…it’s older than Canada!
Isn’t that crazy?? I grew up in California, so I feel that way about lots of Europe too. I was so excited to move into an old building here in Barcelona, even though all my Spanish friends were like “uhh….it looks kind of, not safe.”
Wow, great video, it looks so professional! Well done, girl! 🙂 I’ve been to Barcelona a few times, never discovered this, thanks for giving me a perfect excuse to go back! 🙂
Thanks, Els! I have a friend helping me out a lot with the whole project. 🙂 The Roman temple is definitely one of my favorite little ‘secrets’ about Barcelona.
Great video! What a fascinating place! It does look really tucked away – I can see why it’s so unknown!
Yup, it’s super easy to miss because you can only access it via two small streets (which are both also easy to miss!).
Wow! That sure is one of the best kept secrets of the city. Have never heard of. I am an history and culture enthusiast, and you don’t know how excited I feel now to go and see this place. Loved your video !
Thanks, Anu! Yeah, it’s so easy to miss, but it’s a nice little stop in the Gothic Quarter.
Great video! Barcelona is one of my favorite cities and I’ve never been to this temple.
It’s an easy thing to miss if you don’t get the right street! If you visit again, it’s a free, easy thing to visit though, so I always recommend it.
I totally love your video. I loved Barcelona, and hope to come and visit again one day.
Thanks, Ashley! Barcelona is full of so many great things to visit.
I didnt hear something about this temple before … romans ruins in the middle of a building is something unusual, thanks Jess,
Thanks for checking it out! It really is quite unusual, especially because it’s right in the middle of the city center.
Reading about the temple make me miss Barcelona so much. It’s one of the best cities in the world that I have ever visited and I would love to live there.
It’s fun to live in too! I agree, it’s one of my favorite cities too. 🙂