Temple of Bacchus by unknown at GreatBuildings

"The Temple of Bacchus, which many historians consider the best-preserved Roman temple of its size, is part of Baalbek's immense semiruins. Its peristyle of forty-two unfluted Corinthian columns (nineteen still standing) embraces sturdily preserved exterior walls. The approach to the cella or worship room proclaims grandeur with its powerful scale...The inner side walls of the nave are divided into bays by projected Corinthian half-columns to produce a series of superimposed niches, round-headed below, angled (pedimented) above, the latter originally with statues. The temple was roofed with cedar trusses."

"The temple, however, is but a single aspect of the vast complex. Baalbek is unequaled for boldness of concept and skill in utilizing Herculean masonry."

— G. E. Kidder Smith. Looking at Architecture. p34.

Details

Dimensions

109' by 164'.

Excavation of about 200,000 tons of rock over est. 100 years.

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Sources on Temple of Bacchus

Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture. London: The Butterworth Group, 1987. ISBN 0-408-01587-X. LC 86-31761. NA200.F63 1987. site perspective drawing, fig g, p238. site plan drawing, fig h, p238.

G. E. Kidder Smith. Looking at Architecture. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Publishers, 1990. ISBN 0-8109-3556-2. LC 90-30728. NA200.S57 1990. discussion, p34. in-the-midst photo of column with temple ruins behind, p35.

Henry A. Millon, ed. Key Monuments of the History of Architecture. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1964. LC 64-10764. NA202.M5. photo of interior, cella wall, p98. plan oblique drawing, p100.

Michael Raeburn, ed. Architecture of the Western World. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 1980. restoration drawing of the porch, p75. top right corner of the page.

Henri Stierlin. Comprendre l'Architecture Universelle 1. Paris: Office du Livre S.A. Fribourg (Suisse), 1977. perspective drawing of the adyton, p91. longitudinal section drawing, p91. plan drawing, p91.

Kevin Matthews. The Great Buildings Collection on CD-ROM. Artifice, 2001. ISBN 0-9667098-4-5.— Available at Amazon.com

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