page_title: Temple of Mercury (Puy de Dôme)
section_title: Initial Discovery and Research
hierarchical_section_title: Temple of Mercury (Puy de Dôme) / Archaeological History / Initial Discovery and Research
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Photo légendée "Le Temple de Mercure, et l'Observatoire du Puy-de-Dôme", dans un article de la "Revue illustrée" (Tome relié 1902) intitulée "Sensations d'Auvergne"
context_page_description: The Temple of Mercury at Puy de Dôme is a Gallo-Roman trachyte temple built in the 2nd century at the summit of the dome. It replaced a 1st-century arkose temple on the same site, which was apparently too small to accommodate the many pilgrims who visited. Its remains were revealed by excavation campaigns in 1875 and at the turn of the century.
context_section_description: The site was discovered in 1872 during the construction of a meteorological observatory. Very quickly, the first excavations took place between 1873 and 1878, conducted by The Academy of Sciences of Clermont-Ferrand, under Louis-Clémentin Bruyère's direction in 1875. This initial research made it possible to conceive of the first site plans.
  The excavations were then stopped and the temple abandoned in that state. It was not until 1886 that steps were taken to protect it. It was classified as a historic monument in 1889.
  A number of later discoveries led to a second series of excavations, under the direction of Auguste Audollent and Gabriel Ruprich-Robert. This series of campaigns particularly studied the surroundings of the site and discovered a small annex temple as well as a small statuette of Mercury beside it, further confirming the dedication of the place of worship.
caption: The temple and observatory, around 1900
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