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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The columns of Riez are the last remains of a Roman temple erected in the late 1st century AD. Located near the Colostre, these four monolithic columns in grey granite, surmounted by Corinthian capitals in white marble, support an architrave carved of limestone. Their original polychromy, revealed by the excavations of 1963, highlighted the marble decorations found broken. The temple, perhaps dedicated to Apollo, bears witness to the religious and urban importance of Riez in Roman times.

Unlike many ancient monuments, these columns have been preserved in situ since their construction, marking the northern entrance of the ancient city. Their exceptional conservation is explained by their reuse as a structural element of the medieval then modern city. The foundations of the temple, cleared during the excavations, confirm its implantation in a sacred space, probably a forum or sanctuary.

Ranked as historic monuments by 1840, the building enjoys early protection, reflecting its heritage interest. The heteroclite materials (granite, marble, limestone) and their assemblage highlight the know-how of Roman artisans, as well as the trade of the region. Today, these columns are a major milestone in Gallo-Roman religious architecture in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

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