Roman Baths, Bath, UK

The Roman Baths in Bath, England, are a remarkable historical site built around natural hot springs. The baths were constructed between 60 and 70 AD during Roman Britain and became the center of the settlement known as Aquae Sulis. They were used for public bathing and religious purposes, with a temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva, a fusion of the Celtic goddess Sulis and the Roman goddess Minerva.

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We walk around the Great Bath at the beginning of the tour and revisit it at the lower level later in the tour.

Here’s a video panorama of the Great Bath.

The complex included features like the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, and the Great Bath, which was a social hub for relaxation and conversation. The baths remained in use until the end of Roman rule in the 5th century and were later abandoned. Over time, the site was redeveloped, and the remains were excavated in the 19th century.

Part of the old temple is on display as well as a head of the goddess Minerva.

Today, the Roman Baths are a major tourist attraction, offering visitors a glimpse into ancient Roman life and engineering. The hot bubbling water from the springs is still visible, though bathing is no longer permitted due to health concerns.

The Springs

The Roman Baths are supplied by natural hot springs that release approximately 1.3 million liters of water per day. This water is heated by geothermal energy and flows from the spring into the Great Bath.

Here’s a video of the springs:

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Daily flow: The springs produce around 1.3 million liters of water every day.
Temperature: The water is naturally heated to around 40-46°C (104-114.8°F).
Geothermal source: The water is heated by the Earth's geothermal energy, rising from a depth of at least 2.5km.

Excess water from the hot springs at the Roman Baths in Bath is drained and diverted through a Roman drain into the River Avon. The drain, known as the "Great Drain," is still functional and carries water from the Sacred Spring and the Great Bath, along with other springs, to the river. The Great Bath is also drained and cleaned several times a year to remove algae and debris, with the water also going through the drain.

Roman Drain at the Baths

The site includes a variety of objects from the Roman era such as mosaics, thousands of Roman coins, various decorative and useful objects, some of which may have been tossed into the pool as gifts to the goddess.

A few examples follow:

Site notes

There is an admission fee and a handheld audioguide available. The device plays a commentary in response to entering a number posted at various locations.

There are places to sit and rest throughout the tour route.

Toilets can be found at the entrance and exit.

There is a gift shop at the exit.

RESOURCES

Website: Roman Baths in Bath: https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)

Baths in Roman Britain: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/romans/roman-bathing/

Notes

The photos are ours but the text in this post was improved with AI.

Images

Readers are free to use my pictures provided you reference this blog post.

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