Temple of Jupiter Anxur

The sanctuary of Jupiter Anxur stands on Monte Sant'Angelo above Terracina, where the Ausoni mountains meet the sea. The hill was used for worship from the end of the 4th century BC and was monumentally developed in the late Republic, between the end of the 2nd and the start of the 1st century BC. It had both a cultic and a strategic-defensive function; the Via Appia ran north of Monte Sant'Angelo.

The buildings rest on a terrace complex of opus incertum. The middle terrace is supported by twelve linked arches that look like a long corridor. The large temple had six Corinthian columns on its front; whether it was really dedicated to Jupiter is doubted, since dedicatory inscriptions seem to point to Venus Obsequens. From the top the view takes in Terracina, the Pontine plain, Monte Circeo, the sea with the Pontine Islands and as far as Ischia.

Beside the large temple stands a smaller one, attributed to Venus Obsequens; a natural rock crevice was also used for worship. According to the Lazio regional tourism site the place is about 3 km from the old town and the access road is well signposted. Atlas Obscura reports destruction in the Middle Ages and later use as a monastery and military camp. Allow about an hour for the terraces and the view.