Temple of Diana

The Temple of Diana Nemorensis was an ancient Roman sanctuary erected around 300 BC and dedicated to the goddess Diana. The temple was situated on the northern shore of Lake Nemi, beneath the cliffs of the modern city of Nemi. It was a pilgrimage site on the Italian peninsula. The temple complex covered an area of 45,000 square meters.Historical evidence suggests that worship of Diana at Nemi flourished from at least the 6th century BCE The temple was abandoned at some point in the late Roman Empire period. If still in use by the 4th-century, it would have been closed during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire. Portions of its marbles and decorations were removed. The area of the temple was gradually covered by forest and generally left undisturbed for centuries. Amateur archaeological excavations of the site began in the 1600s.