Baths of Caracalla
| Latin: Thermae Antoninianae | |
The Baths as faced from the south-west. The caldarium would have been in the front of the image.
|
|
 Baths of Caracalla
The location of the Baths in Rome during Antiquity
|
|
| Alternate name | Italian: Terme di Caracalla |
|---|---|
| Location | Rome, Italy |
| Region | Regione XII Piscina Publica |
| Coordinates | 41°52′45.998″N 12°29′35.002″E / 41.87944389°N 12.49305611°ECoordinates: 41°52′45.998″N 12°29′35.002″E / 41.87944389°N 12.49305611°E |
| Type | Thermae |
| Part of | Ancient Rome |
| Area | 100,000 m2 (1,100,000 sq ft) |
| Volume | 8,000,000 L (1,800,000 imp gal; 2,100,000 US gal) (baths' waters) |
| Height | 40 m (130 ft) |
| History | |
| Builder | Caracalla |
| Material | Marble, pozzolana, lime, tuff, basalt |
| Founded | 212-218 A.D. |
| Abandoned | 537 A.D. |
| Periods | Imperial |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Poor |
| Public access | Limited |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Ancient Roman |
| Official name | Baths of Caracalla |
| Type | Cultural, artistic, historical, architectural, religious |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii, iv, vi |
| Designated |
|
| Part of | Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura |
| Reference no. | 91ter |
| Documents | Historic Centre of Rome... |
| List of ancient monuments in Rome |
|
The Baths of Caracalla (Italian: Terme di Caracalla) in Rome, Italy, were the second largest Roman public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 (or 211) and 217, during the reigns of Septimius Severus and Caracalla. They would have had to install over 2,000 t (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons) of material every day for six years in order to complete it in this time. Records show that the idea for the baths were drawn up by Septimius Severus, and merely completed or opened in the lifetime of Caracalla. This would allow for a longer construction timeframe. Today they are a tourist attraction.
The baths remained in use until the 6th century when the complex was taken by the Ostrogoths during the Gothic War, at which time the hydraulic installations were destroyed. The bath was free and open to the public. The earthquake of 847 destroyed much of the building, along with many other Roman structures.
The building was heated by a hypocaust, a system of burning coal and wood underneath the ground to heat water provided by a dedicated aqueduct. It was in use up to the 19th century. The Aqua Antoniniana aqueduct, a branch of the earlier Aqua Marcia, by Caracalla was specifically built to serve the baths. It was most likely reconstructed by Garbrecht and Manderscheid to its current place.
In the 19th and early 20th century, the design of the baths was used as the inspiration for several modern structures, including St George's Hall in Liverpool and the original Pennsylvania Station (demolished in 1963) in New York City. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the gymnastics events.
...
Wikipedia