Although the temple is called after the Roman goddess Vesta, the precise dedication of the Temple of Vesta remains uncertain. Scholars have proposed various possibilities, including Hercules, the protector of Tibur; Albunea, the Tiburtine Sibyl; Tiburnus, the city's eponymous hero; or the Gellia Gens, whose villa was located in the vicinity and for whom the structure may have served as a mausoleum. Another possibility is that the temple was dedicated to Vesta herself, akin to the more widely recognized circular peripteral Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum. Adjacent to this temple stands a rectangular structure, often referred to as the Temple of Sibyl, but its exact attribution remains equally ambiguous.

The relatively well-preserved condition of the temple is largely due to its conversion into a Christian church, known as "Santa Maria della Rotonda". This adaptation helped protect the structure from complete ruin. By the 16th century CE, however, all Christian modifications had been removed, restoring the temple to its classical appearance.

circa

The Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, dating to the early 1st century BCE, stands on the acropolis of the ancient city of Tibur (modern Tivoli). This circular peripteral temple, constructed in the Corinthian order, was part of a sanctuary complex overlooking the Aniene River. Though its exact dedication remains debated, it was traditionally associated with Vesta due to its architectural similarity to the Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum. An inscription attributes its construction or restoration to Lucius Gellius. The temple’s survival is largely due to its conversion into the church of Santa Maria della Rotonda during the medieval period, which helped preserve its structure. By the Renaissance, it had attracted scholarly attention, with detailed studies and illustrations by figures such as Antoine Desgodetz, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Giuseppe Vasi. Despite partial ruin, ten of its original eighteen Corinthian columns remain standing, and the temple continues to be a key example of Roman sacred architecture.

circa 50-80 BCE

The temple's capitals have been much admired and imitated and their variation of the Corinthian order sometimes called the "Tivoli order". They have two rows of acanthus leaves, and its abacus is decorated with oversize fleurons in the form of hibiscus flowers (probably intended to be Hibiscus syriacus) with pronounced spiral pistils. The column flutes have flat tops. The frieze exhibits fruit swags suspended between bucrania. Above each swag is a rosette. It is also adorned with complete ox-heads, connected by heavy garlands, a Hellenistic motif. The cornice does not have modillions (the decorative consoles or dentils).

An inscription on the architrave attributes the construction or restoration of the Temple of Vesta to Lucius Gellius. The structure follows a peripteral design with a modified Corinthian order. The circular cella is elevated on a high brick podium, which was originally faced with blocks of travertine. The cella itself features a doorway and two windows, allowing for interior illumination. Surrounding the cella is an ambulacrum supported by eighteen Corinthian columns, ten of which remain standing.

circa 50-80 BCE

The Temple of Vesta has served as an architectural inspiration for various structures, ranging from direct replicas in landscaped gardens to designs incorporating select elements of its detailing. One of the earliest examples in England is the Temple of Venus at Garendon Hall, built in the 1730s. Sir John Soane studied the temple and incorporated its influence into his 1805 design for the 'Tivoli Corner' of the Bank of England. Other English adaptations include General Pitt Rivers' Temple of Vesta at Rushmore House, William Kent’s Temple of Ancient Virtue at Stowe, and Sir William Chambers’ Temple of Solitude at Kew. In Northern Ireland, Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol, built the Mussenden Temple at Downhill in a similar style and even attempted to purchase the original temple in 1777, though his request was denied by Pope Pius VI. In France, Richard Mique’s Temple de l'Amour at the Petit Trianon and Gabriel Davioud’s Temple de Sibylle in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont were influenced by the temple’s design. In Poland, the Temple of the Sibyl in Puławy, designed by Chrystian Piotr Aigner, functioned as a museum. In northern California, architect Willis Polk created the Sunol Water Temple in 1910, following the English tradition of using the design as a landscape feature.