From June 20, 2022, in Hall 2 of the National History Museum, you can virtually enter the Temple of Fortuna in Ulpia Escus. The project of the temple is filled with all the details revealed during the studies and characteristic of the era of the existence of the temple in the camp of the V Macedonian Legion, the Ulpia Escus colony.
The Temple of Fortuna in Ulpia Eskus comes to life in the halls of the National History Museum
From June 20, 2022, in Hall 2 of the National History Museum, you can virtually enter the Temple of Fortuna in Ulpia Escus.
The project of the temple is filled with all the details revealed during the studies and characteristic of the era of the existence of the temple in the camp of the V Macedonian Legion, the Ulpia Escus colony. The architectural reconstruction is the work of architect Yuliy Furkov, who worked for many years together with Teofil Ivanov in the ancient city. The virtual reality was financed by the budget of the National History Museum in 2019. The temple is located in the southeast corner of the Forum complex of the city.
The Temple of Fortuna (templum Fortunae) has been fully uncovered and explored. To the south it borders the decumanus maximus. Its plan is rectangular: length 50.20 m (north-south) and width 28 m (east-west). It consists of a southern portico (colonnade) with a two-line building inscription in Latin, 26 m long; inner rectangular courtyard with colonnade; the temple of Fortuna; premises to the north of the temple.
The entire complex was built in the Corinthian style. The Latin inscription contains the names and titles of the Roman emperor Commodus (180 – 192), to whom the temple is dedicated. According to the contents of the inscription, the temple was built with the funds of the "association of craftsmen" (collegium fabrorum) in 190. The colonnade of the inner courtyard was decorated with a frieze - architraves filled with relief bull's heads and laurel garlands. The temple of Fortuna consisted of a vestibule and a cult room. The south facade had four Corinthian columns. On the triangular pediment are two Victorias holding a laurel wreath. Inside the wreath was a relief image - probably the head of Medusa to ward off evil. The temple complex was destroyed by the Goths or by an earthquake in 376-378.
Price for a 5-minute walk in the Temple of Fortuna: BGN 6.
Literature: T. Ivanov. Ulpia Escus. Roman, late Roman and early Byzantine city. Volume II: Civil Basilica and Temple of Fortuna. Excavations and studies, 34. Sofia: Archaeological Institute with Museum, 2005