The sanctuary known as Le Cigognier was located between the theatre and the amphitheatre. It was named after a pier with two semi-columns, 9.96 m. high, that in the past had a stork's nest on top. The architecture was inspired by the Templum Pacis in Rome. It consisted of a temple behind a large courtyard (106.80 x 76.65 m.). The courtyard was surrounded on three sides by a porticus, while the facade was closed off by a wall. Through the courtyard a procession road, 12 m. wide, led to a staircase that was more than 11 m. wide in front of the temple. The temple stood on a high podium (41 x 26 m.). The cella measured 18.70 x 24.05 m. and must have been 20.60 m. high. The temple and the porticoes were decorated with a frieze with griffins and marine creatures, and with capitals with eagles. The foundation of the temple rested on 45000 oak posts. The trees had been felled in 98 AD, so the temple was built during the reign of Trajan.
Plan of the Cigognier temple. Drack-Fellmann 1988, Abb. 321.
a: cella; b: stork column; c: porticoes; d: procession road; e: statue base; f: main entrance.
Reconstruction drawing of the Cigognier temple. Drack-Fellmann 1991, 59.
View of the column (to the right) that gave the temple its name. Photo: Wikimedia, Peter Stampfli.In a channel below the courtyard a gold bust of Marcus Aurelius was found in 1939. The temple was most likely dedicated to the cult of the Emperors, but also to the Roman-Celtic Mars Caturix.
The gold bust of Marcus Aurelius. H. 0.335. 176 AD or a bit later. Photo: De Pury-Gysel 2012(2), Abb. 67.To the south, at the locality Au Lavoëx, two Gallo-Roman temples were built in the middle of the second century, near a wall with niches that had been built in the late first century. To the south-west was an enigmatic building, consisting of a courtyard surrounded by a porticus
Plan of the Au Lavoëx area. Le Bec et al. 2015, fig. 42.
[1-May-2024]
