THE TEMPLE OF MINERVA IN the town of Assisi, in Umbria, appears to be a perfectly preserved example of a Roman temple from the outside, but inside is home to a Catholic church.

The Roman building was named during the 1st-century BCE, probably as part of the town’s forum. The structure is a typical Roman temple with six tall Corinthians columns supporting the architrave in the façade. The temple was erroneously attributed to Minerva because of a female statue located inside the building, but later studies found a dedication stone to Hercules.