The Baths of Caracalla are the best preserved Imperial Baths. It was a huge structure capable of accommodating 10,000 people at once. The Emperor Caracalla built the central block, the outer structures were built later.
True to the Roman desire for architectural axiality and symmetry; the swimming pool, the cold baths (frigidrium) and hot baths (caldarium) were all aligned on the central axis with other rooms on either side laid out symmetrically. The frigidarium had triple groin vaults. The baths were of concrete construction faced with brick. The walls would have been stuccoed over and painted.
The baths continued to function well into the 6th century. Recall that the Farnese Bull and Herakles at Rest were situated in the Baths of Caracalla, these are now in the Naples Archaeological Museum. As was the norm, popes pilfered the statuary, columns and marble.
Great libraries also formed a part of the Imperial Bath complexes.
A rendering of the Baths of Caracalla
The Dressing Room
The height achieved is extraordinary
View from the pool, through to the frigidarium and out to one of the pillars of the caldarium.
All that remains of the caldarium are the two huge pillars.
Rome is a very busy place on the weekends, the Baths of Caracalla were relatively calm after having walked through the throngs of visitors near the Forum and the Colosseum. After visiting the baths, we walked across Rome, over to St. Peter’s Square to meet our friends from Belgium, who are also visiting Rome. Our meeting place was beside the obelisk in the square, but we encountered them on the street en route. They were still on their tour so we decided to hang around and meet them when they were finished.
We met at the obelisk and after catching up, we walked back over to Monti and went for a drink, we shared a bottle of really great Sicilian wine. Then we went for dinner, where we had more Sicilian wine and some traditional Roman food. We had such a great time, it was just wonderful to see them.
We had an easy day today, we wanted to visit the Aqueduct park to view another feat of Roman engineering. It would have taken us a couple of hours to walk to the park so we decided to take the Metro. Riding the Metro was interesting because we got to look at all the locals, the Romans look just like the Emperors, there is a pronounced genetic link going on, they all have the Roman nose.
The aqueduct was started by Caligula in 38 AD, it was completed by Claudius in 58 AD. The aqueducts at the park are known as the Claudian Aqueducts, they brought water to Rome from their source at the valley of Aniene River, 45 miles away.
The Capitoline Hill
Michelangelo designed the piazza, it was the terminus of the triumphal route of the Roman Emperors. The top of the ramp is flanked by Castor and Pollux.
Roman in military dress in the piazza.
Copy of the bronze sculpture of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the piazza.
It seems as though you cannot look anywhere without seeing some portion of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument, it became our joke as we walked around Rome.
Tomorrow is a travel day, our trip is winding down. We take a fast train to Bologna tomorrow where we will have an afternoon to explore the city. Then on Tuesday, we fly home.
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