Ancient Roman Bath

Today I visited the Ancient Roman Baths. It was such an interesting museum as it recreated the buildings that would have stood during Roman Britain inside the museum. It is extraordinary to see what life would have been like and how important the baths were to society.

The Baths were created when the Romans found a hot spring in the area. They then dug a large pit and sets of natural "pipes" to create a way to fill up and drain the pools with the hot mineral water. The baths also contained steam rooms and cold baths. Hundreds of servants and workers helped people use the bath everyday, either by working the rooms that helped the baths function or helping the people with cleaning and "primping." 

 Waterfall created to move the hot spring water into the baths

Actresses who told about what life would be like for a wealthy Roman and her servant

Bricks that held up the floor in the Sana-- The floor would have been at the red line painted on the wall.

A man who was buried in the Bath area by the temple.

Alter for sacrifices to the Gods, Largest alter from its era.

Original steps leading up to the baths in Roman time, the rest of the building is still in rubble buried under the ground

Gems from Roman rings that were found in the drain. The hot water would melt the glue holding the ring together and cause the gems to fall off in the water.

Since the baths are not cleaned, they are full of bacteria and other gunk(they are outside) turn the water green and therefore you cannot use them or touch the water

More of the "pipes" that would bring the fresh water into the bath.

At the end of the museum you can drink the water. It is Hot and full of minerals so it really did not taste good. It tasted like a mix of iron and sulfur. 

The Baths eventually grew out of style, but after the Middle Ages and into the Georgian period they were rediscovered and brought back to use. Within the past hundred years this site was put under construction as a museum and is now open to visitors! The upper level was recently created for visitors and statues of important Romans were created and placed around the balcony.

The far left statue is that of Constantine. On the opposite side(not pictured) is Caesar, the statues in between are other important Romans that ruled or were important between them. 

After visiting the actual baths we walked around the City of Bath. We saw the famous Architecture of John Wood and his son who create a society that wanted to be more in touch with each other and live as one. He first created a square with a courtyard in the middle. The houses all blend together and look like the Buckingham Palace. Next he became inspired by the Roman society and Prehistoric architecture He created a circle called the circus. The Circus was inspired by the sun and Pagan Gods from Roman. The actual architecture was based off Stonehenge and it's dimensions  Finally he began, and his son finished, the crescent. This was inspired by the moon and created a more naturesque feeling for its residence. 

The houses from the square

Many of Jane Austen's books are set in or draw inspiration from Bath. Here is an entire society dedicated to her!

The Circus

We looked these houses up, they go for about 1.5 million pounds ($2.49 million). A one room apartment would be around 500,000 pounds ($830,000).

Restored House on the Crescent

Carriage used to carry the wealthier people around town as the streets were polluted with sewage and other waste.

Model of the house

House #1 on the Crescent

My professor's kids have learned a new traditional English game! Conkers. It is played by putting a chestnut type nut on a string and hitting each other's to see who's will break first.