The world-famous Roman Baths here were built between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. They took advantage of the natural hot springs that rise to the surface in the city, delivering a seemingly endless supply of hot mineral-enriched water at a constant temperature of 46C.
The baths were only rediscovered in 1879. They fell into ruin or were destroyed at some time between the departure of the Roman legions and the capture of Bath by the Saxons in 577AD. It was the Saxons who gave the city its name, but knowledge of the baths seems to have been lost during the medieval period and they were apparently built over and forgotten.
The waters rise up from around 3,000m at a daily rate of 1.17 million litres and come to the surface at three locations in the city, all of which have baths built over them. It is, of course, the Romans who seem synonymous with the waters here; the majestic bath-house buildings are a sight to behold and feature temples, shrines, and reservoirs as well as the bathing pools.
In the 1st century AD, the Romans constructed this reservoir to contain the spring and to supply water to the baths. The spring was not used for swimming in; it was a sacred site where worshippers would throw offerings to the patron deity Sulis Minerva. The Scared Spring was covered by a vaulted building between the temple and the baths.
There were several pools for bathing: the central Great Bath, surrounded by majestic columns and arches, and other smaller pools, including the Circular Bath, which acted as a kind of plunge pool to cool the bathers down after taking the steaming waters.
Much of the original paving remains to this day, along with examples of hypercausts, which were used to heat the buildings in the colder months. In the 12th century, the King’s Bath, named after Henry I, was built within the remains of the Roman building.
The Saxons and Normans were also aware of the curative qualities of the waters, and by the late 1500s, there were five baths to aid the poor and leprous who were drawn to the pools in search of healing and relief from the city’s hospitals and almshouses.
By the 17th century, members of the Royal Family regularly visited the city, making it fashionable to "take the waters" and establishing Bath as an upmarket city. By the mid-1700s, Bath had become the leading spa in Britain and brass rings visible on the walls record grateful bathers whose ailments were cured by the waters.
In 1704-1706, the first Pump Room was built, allowing spa water to be drawn up specifically for drinking. This was on the north side of the King’s Bath. The building we can see today was erected between 1790 and 1795 and is larger than its predecessor. Bathing continued here until 1939, when the floor was removed and the water level lowered. The orange stain running around the walls indicates the water level prior to 1939.
There are wonderful mosaics on display as well as sculpture and pottery, including a huge bust of Prince Bladud, legendary founder of Bath.
Entrance fee is a hefty £10; for this, you may wander at will and avail yourself of a free audio-visual handset that conveys the sights in several languages. Adjacent are the Pump Room tea rooms, frightfully expensive but exclusive and a fitting way to finish your experience with a pot of tea, a slice of cake, and a string quartet.