Capitolium - Tempio Capitolino (Sito UNESCO "Longobardi In Italia: i luoghi del potere")

Capitolium or Tempio Capitolino is a Roman temple located in Piazza del Foro, along Via dei Musei, the nucleus of ancient Roman Brixia. Together with the Theater and the remains of the city Forum, it is the most important complex of ruins and remains of Roman public buildings in northern Italy. In 2011 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is part of the serial site "Longobardi in Italy: places of power". The construction of the building is to be attributed to Vespasiano, in 73 AC. His paternity is confirmed by original inscription on the pediment. Temple was built on a previous Republican temple and its construction is due to Emperor's victory over General Vitellius, in the plain between Goito and Cremona. Destroyed by a fire during Barbarian invasions and never rebuilt, it was buried by a landslide of Colle Cidneo during Middle Ages. Temple was brought to light only in 1823. The structure is that of classic three-cell Roman capitolium, with the front colonnade closed by a wall on the sides and rear. Behind the front of Corinthian style facade there are three separate cells, each one hosting an altar dedicated to three respective deities: Minerva, Giove and Giunone. Valuable and well preserved is the threshold of central cell, the largest, made of Botticino marble, inside which is also the most impressive of the three podiums. Temple was accessed through a flight of steps that rose directly from the decumanus maximus.