What Roman temple in Nîmes, France, was built around 2 AD and is highly preserved?

The Roman temple in Nîmes, France, built around 2 AD and remarkably preserved, is the Maison Carrée.

Its name means “square house” in French, although the building is rectangular rather than square. It was constructed during the Augustan period as a provincial temple devoted to the imperial cult, honoring members of the emperor Augustus’s family. The temple’s elevated podium, deep porch, Corinthian columns, and surviving entablature reflect the formal style of Roman temple architecture.

The Maison Carrée survived unusually well because it was repeatedly reused. Over the centuries it served as a church, a meeting hall, a stable, and an archive before becoming a protected monument. This continuous use helped prevent the complete demolition that affected many ancient temples.

It is sometimes confused with the nearby Pont du Gard, but that monument is an aqueduct bridge rather than a temple. The Maison Carrée also influenced later architecture: Thomas Jefferson admired it and had a model made while serving as minister to France.