The Temple of Vesta is in Rome, Italy. It is a Roman Temple. Today, there are only remains of the temple left because of fires that happened int the temple. In written history, the Temple of Vesta burned down twice including the Great Fire of Rome. The part that still stands of the Temple of Vesta today was reconstructed during the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini.
The circular footprint of the temple is its most recognizable feature. It is thought that the roof of the temple had a vent at the apex to allow smoke to be released from it. It had about twenty Corinthian columns on a podium about 15 meters in diameter. The Temple of Vesta is also a sort of reminder of history because the worship of the goddess, Vesta began in homes.
The Temple of Vesta's purpose was to honor the goddess, Vesta, who was the virgin goddess of hearth, home, and family in Roman religion. The Romans knew that Vesta was present when a sacred fire burned at her hearth and temples. All temples to Vesta were round. They also all had entrances that faced east to symbolize the connection between Vesta's fire and sun as sources of life.
The cella of the temple is circular and made of concrete. The cella is also surrounded by blocks of tufa. To the east of the Temple of Vesta was the house of vestal virgins, who tended the sacred fire. The only man who could enter the temple of Vesta was the Pontifex Maximus. Roman women were admitted to the temple during the Vestalia festival.
If the flame in the temple ever extinguished, it was represent doom for all of Rome. The shrine contained the sacred hearth of the goddess, and its fire had to be re-lit by the Vestals each March 1 by rubbing two sticks together. The Vestals kept sacred water and sacred cake in this sacred place where the hearth was in the temple. Many holy objects were kept in the temple as well.
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