Baths of
Caracalla ( terme di caracalla )
The
Baths of Caracalla are one of the biggest and best
preserved bath complexes of ancient times.
They
were opened in the south part of the city, probably
in 216AD, under the reign of the son of Septimius
Severus, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus,
known as Caracalla.
The remains,
which still stand up to a remarkable height of over
thirty meters in some places, give us but an idea of
the grandiose nature of the baths, second in
grandeur only to the Baths of Diocletian, which
were built almost a century later. However, the size
of the building and the monumental nature of
its halls, of which two storey are preserved in elevation
and two levels below ground, allow us to imagine their
splendor.
The
baths remained in use for only three centuries;
they were finally abandoned after 537AD after the siege
of Rome when Witigis, king of
the Goths, sabotaged the aqueducts in order to force
the city into submission. Several works of art were
found during the excavations, including the Farnese
Bull, statues of Hercules and the granite
baths moved to Piazza Farnese by the Rainaldi
family.
Information
and Addresses
Address
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 52
Visiting
Hours Every day from 9.00 am until an hour before
sunset; Monday until 2,00 pm (ticket office closes
an hour earlier)
Price
€ 6,00; concessions € 3,00
For
Tours information –
private guided tours – special entrances, no waiting
in line - VIP services
www.tourinrome.com
www.vaticanmuseuminformation.com
www.vaticanmuseumticket.com
