France Guide
Languedoc
The Maison Carrée
Opening time: March & Oct 10am–6.30pm; April, May & Sept 10am–7pm; June– Aug 10am–7.30pm; Nov– Feb 10am–1pm & 2–5pm
Price: €4.50
At the heart of of the medieval city is the delightful Maison Carrée a neat, jewel-like temple celebrated for its integrity and harmonic proportions. Built in 5 AD, it's dedicated to the adopted sons of Emperor Augustus – all part of the business of inflating the imperial personality cult. No surprise, then, that Napoleon, with his love of flummery and tendency to ennoble his cronies to boost his own legitimacy, took it as the model for the Madeleine church in Paris.