Bath is a small city in Somerset, England, located on a bend of the River Avon about 185km (115 miles) west of London. In 1702, Queen Anne traveled from London to the mineral springs of Bath, launching a fad that was to make the city the most celebrated spa in England. The architect John Wood the Elder and his son designed a city of stone from the nearby hills, an endeavor so successful that Bath is now the most harmoniously laid-out city in England. During the Georgian and Victorian era, the well-to-do flocked to Bath for its healing waters and high society. The city also attracted leading political and literary figures, such as Dickens, Thackeray, Nelson, and Pitt.
But long before Queen Anne's visit, Bath was a popular and sacred place. The Roman foreign legions founded a great bathing complex to ease rheumatism in the healing mineral springs. They called the city Aquae Sulis and dedicated it to the goddess Minerva, to whom they built a temple. Seven centuries years later, a Christian monastery was built nearby. The site later hosted a cathedral, which is now the beautiful parish church of Bath. Bath is a major tourist destination but still manages to retain its quiet charm and beauty. The ancient Roman Baths and beautiful Bath Abbey are unmissable and the town makes a good base for exploring nearby Avebury.
Roman Baths, Bath
The Roman Baths are a well-preserved Roman sacred site in the English city of Bath. The site includes the remains of the Temple of Aquae Sulis, the Roman baths fed by the sacred hot spring, and a well-presented museum of artifacts found at the site.
History
The fundamental part of the Roman Baths is the sacred spring. Hot water at a temperature of 460°C rises here at the rate of 1,170,000 liters (240,000 gallons) every day and has been doing so for thousands of years. To the ancients, this remarkable phenomenon could only be the work of the gods.
The first shrine at the springs in Bath was built by the Celts, and dedicated to the goddess Sulis. After the Roman invasion, Sulis was identified with the Roman goddess Minerva, but the name Sulis continued to be used. This led to the town's ancient Roman name of Aquae Sulis ("waters of Sulis").
During the Roman occupation of Britain, increasingly grand temples and bathing complexes were built. The bath complex in Bath was founded in 75 AD. The healing powers of the goddess and the mineral-rich water from the spring attracted visitors from across the Roman Empire.
After the Roman withdrawal the baths fell into disrepair and were eventually lost due to silting up. When bathing again became fashionable in England, the site was reopened. The magnificent Georgian building now standing was erected at the end of the 18th century.
The ancient Roman Baths were rediscovered and excavated in the late 18th century. As well as being an important archaeological find, they have from that time to the present been one of the city's main attractions.
The Roman Baths are unsafe for bathing because the water has passed through the still-functioning lead pipes constructed by the Romans. However, the luxurious new Thermae Spa, which opened in September 2004, allows modern-day bathers to experience the waters for themselves.
The Roman Baths are below the street level of modern Bath and other Roman ruins stretch out beneath the city in all directions. The site consists of four main features: the Sacred Spring; the Roman Temple; the Roman bath house; and finds from Roman Bath.
Explore the area click hereThings to do click here