Temple of Anxur - Terracina

The imposing Substructions (from the 1st century BC) of the Temple of Jupiter Anxur dominate the town of Terracina from the top of Monte Sant’Angelo. The Temple – Sanctuary therefore stood on the platea above this substructure and is now practically reduced to a few ruins while the large substructure portico, which we can observe from below, is well preserved in all its majesty.

The area is of great scenic interest (it is included in a Naturalistic Park) and constitutes a very articulated archaeological complex, the size of which can only be realized by walking (with modest effort, even on foot) a few kilometers from the center of the beautiful town below. of Terracina (also important for its Roman and medieval urban remains).

Great Panorama

The wonderful view of the entire Pontine Area and its Islands, which can be enjoyed from Monte Sant’Angelo alone, deserves this excursion.

The promontory of Monte Sant’Angelo (227 meters above sea level) constitutes an offshoot of the Ausoni Mountains which at this point come to overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea, dividing the Pontine area into two parts: to the east the fertile plain of Fondi and to the west the Agro Pontino proper (the former marshes, also today one of the most fertile areas in Italy). Since 2000 this place has been part of an Archaeological-Landscape reserve.

This mountain was called Monte Nettunio and this until the Middle Ages, when the Monastery of Sant’Angelo was built there; until the underlying Pisco Montano promontory was cut. For the first three centuries of its construction. The Ancient Appian Way climbed up this mountain and then descended on the opposite side, before its route could be moved to sea level. During the time when the Appian Way passed, a settlement and a place of worship arose here, as evidenced by the numerous structures currently found in the area of ​​the temple of Jupiter Anxur. Among other things, today it is no longer so sure that the divinity to whom the Temple was dedicated was precisely the Iuppiter Anxurus (child Jupiter); in fact, on the basis of inscriptions found, according to many, the sanctuary was perhaps dedicated to Venus, but further research in progress could reserve other surprises in this regard.

It was at the time of Silla (2nd century BC) that the area (where a famous oracle was also located) took on features of Monumentality.

The Temple area today

The structure that most emerges today in this archaeological area is the great portico of the temple, built in the first century. BC, also visible from the Terracinese coast. The grandeur of the portico risks overshadowing other notable testimonies of this site which preserves both the remains of structures relating to the most ancient phases of the place of worship and of the Roman fortifications (city walls, entrenched field and towers) which are well preserved, which constitute almost a unicum among the archaeological sites of this era.

Another reason of interest in this place is the remains of the Benedictine Monastery dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel (which was built here in the early Middle Ages, in the area occupied by the so-called Small Temple); this is a testimony of those settlements which (located in almost impregnable positions and equipped with fortifications) were a place of survival of Western civilization in the dark ages (the Benedictines had their stronghold in the nearby Abbey of Montecassino).

Behind Monte Sant’Angelo extends (partly in the Municipality of Sonnino) the Natural Monument Reserve of Campo Soriano : it is an area with karst geological formations (sinkholes and sinkholes) of great landscape and wildlife interest.