Trastevere
Rome, Italy
Tempietto del Bramante, Rome
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Photo: Torvindus, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
- Opening hours
- Usually Tue–Sun by day
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 20 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Date
- ≈ 1502–1510, by Donato Bramante
- Nearby
- San Pietro in Montorio church and viewpoint
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Location
- Janiculum above Trastevere; 10–15 minutes uphill from Santa Maria in Trastevere
Key facts
c. 1502–1510Bramante built the Tempietto
Sourcei
English Wikipedia16 columnsof the Doric order ring the rotunda
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English Wikipedia≈ 4.5 minterior diameter
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English WikipediaModelfor the domes of St Peter's and St Paul's in London
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English WikipediaSpanish Academyowns the courtyard and convent
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English WikipediaWhat is the Tempietto?
The Tempietto — 'little temple' — was built by Donato Bramante around 1502–1510 for the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. It stands in the courtyard of the convent of San Pietro in Montorio on the Janiculum, on a spot tradition links with St Peter.
It's a rotunda ringed by 16 Doric columns, with an upper drum and a hemispherical dome. Inside it's tiny — about 4.5 metres across — yet outside it looks monumental thanks to perfect proportions. Inspired by ancient round temples such as the Temple of Vesta, it's regarded as the benchmark of the High Renaissance.
Why it matters
The Tempietto was a Renaissance manifesto: the first truly classical rotunda with a correct order since antiquity. Soon afterwards Bramante was commissioned to design the new St Peter's, and the Tempietto's ideas shaped its dome. The colonnaded, domed rotunda went on to inspire countless buildings — from St Paul's Cathedral in London to the Capitol in Washington — and architecture students still sketch it today.
Bramante also planned a circular colonnaded courtyard around it, never built — which is why it sits in a cramped rectangular cloister and looks best framed through the entrance arch.
What to see
- The Tempietto — best framed through the courtyard arch.
- The crypt — beneath the chapel, down a stair.
- San Pietro in Montorio — with Sebastiano del Piombo frescoes and a Bernini chapel.
- The viewpoint by the church — domes and rooftops of Rome.
- Acqua Paola fountain — a huge Baroque fountain further up.
- The Janiculum — gardens and a citywide panorama.
Climbing the Janiculum
The Tempietto is halfway up the Janiculum, the hill above Trastevere. From Santa Maria in Trastevere, the steep steps of Via di San Pietro in Montorio take 10–15 minutes. Higher up is the grand Acqua Paola fountain — 'il Fontanone' to Romans — and the Janiculum gardens with another panorama.
A good plan: climb to the Tempietto in the afternoon, continue to the Acqua Paola, watch sunset from the Janiculum, then drop back into Trastevere for dinner.
How to get there
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Trastevere is about 4 min away on foot.
- Santa Maria in Trastevere is about 6 min away on foot.
- Villa Farnesina is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- From central Trastevere, up the steps of Via di San Pietro in Montorio — 10–15 minutes.
- Bus 115 to Piazzale Garibaldi on the Janiculum, then 10 minutes down.
- Bus 44 to a stop on Via Garibaldi.
- From Villa Farnesina, 15 minutes on foot, uphill.
Is it worth the climb?
Yes, for anyone interested in architecture: one of the Renaissance's most important buildings, free and queue-free. Even if orders and proportions leave you cold, the view from the square justifies the walk. Combine it with Trastevere and a Janiculum sunset. It's usually closed on Mondays.
Before you go
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Rome's churches: compare and choose
Churches and basilicas in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Pantheon | 82 | 30 min | ≈ €5 | 24 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter's Basilica | 71 | 1 h 30 min | Free; dome ≈ €8–15 | 32 min walk |
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 32 min walk |
| Archbasilica of St John Lateran | 64 | 45 min | Free | 3.3 km |
| Santa Maria Maggiore | 62 | 40 min | Free | 2.8 km |
| Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls | 57 | 45 min | Free | 3.5 km |
| Church of the Gesù | 53 | 30 min | Free | 23 min walk |
| Sant'Ignazio | 51 | 30 min | Free | 28 min walk |
| Santa Maria sopra Minerva | 51 | 30 min | Free | 25 min walk |
| Piazza del Popolo | 50 | 30 min | Free | 45 min walk |
| Santa Maria in Trastevere | 50 | 30 min | Free | 5 min walk |
| Mouth of Truth | 49 | 20 min | Donation ≈ €2 | 22 min walk |
| Catacombs of Rome | 48 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €10–12 with guide | 2.7 km |
| San Pietro in Vincoli | 48 | 20 min | Free | 39 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 24 min walk |
| Santa Maria della Vittoria | 46 | 20 min | Free | 2.9 km |
| San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane | 46 | 20 min | Free | 43 min walk |
| Tempiettoyou are here | 45 | 20 min | Free | — |
| Santa Sabina | 45 | 20 min | Free | 21 min walk |
| Trastevere | 44 | 2 h | Free | 3 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 3.1 km |
| Basilica of San Clemente | 39 | 1 h | Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12 | 45 min walk |
Trastevere in half a day
Santa Maria in Trastevere and the lanes around it, Villa Farnesina with Raphael's frescoes, then up to Bramante's Tempietto on the Janiculum slope.
- Trastevere2 h · Free
- 7 min walk from the previous stopSanta Maria in Trastevere30 min · Free
- 9 min walk from the previous stopVilla Farnesina1 h · ≈ €12
- 9 min walk from the previous stopTempiettoyou are here20 min · Free
4 places · about 4 h 15 min with walks · 25 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- The best angle is through the courtyard arch.
- The square next door overlooks all of Rome.
- 10–15 minutes' climb from Trastevere.
- Closed on Mondays.
Questions
Where is the Tempietto?
In the courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio on the Janiculum, above Trastevere.
Is the Tempietto free?
Yes.
Who built the Tempietto?
Donato Bramante, around 1502–1510.
Why is it famous?
It's the benchmark of High Renaissance architecture and the model for St Peter's dome.
How do I get there?
Up the steps from Trastevere in 10–15 minutes, or bus 115 to the Janiculum.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, Tempietto del Bramante and San Pietro in Montorio
- Real Academia de España en Roma
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