The Baths of Emperor Caracallaare the largest baths in world history, built in the 3rd century AD. Emperor Caracalla in Rome. They are located a 10-minute walk from Coliseum at Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 52. The nearest metro station is Circo Massimo.
View of the Baths of Caracalla from the side of the Hippodrome (Great Circus) and the metro station of the same name.
Previously, the Appian Way, the main road of Ancient Rome, connecting the city with the Mediterranean coast, ran near the baths. Now the baths are located a little away from the main Roman ancient ruins.
Information stand
The remains of the Baths of Caracalla amaze visitors with their size. They are located on a square plot of land measuring 400 by 400 meters. The main building of the thermal baths has a size of 150 by 200 meters; more than 1.5 thousand people could be here at the same time. The baths had beautiful marble cladding and colorful mosaics. The main frame of the structure was created using almost modern technology: the supports of the load-bearing structures had a brick shell, and concrete was poured into the middle. In fact, the structure was a monolith.
The main building of the thermal baths is surrounded by a beautiful pine park.
The Baths of Caracalla are not just baths, it is an entire entertainment complex, which also included an outdoor swimming pool, an amphitheater, a club, a garden, a cultural center, etc. People came here not only to wash themselves, but also to socialize, play sports, walk in the garden, and sit in the library. Those. simply put, relax.
There is a museum in the dungeon under the thermal baths
Today, the Baths of Caracalla leave a double impression. On the one hand, they are badly destroyed in order to be an architectural structure. From them only some elements of the cladding, part of the vaults, ceilings and the remains of load-bearing walls have been preserved. The interior is completely destroyed. On the other hand, these mountains of brick and concrete press on visitors with their mass and size and seem like something grandiose.
Remains of ancient mosaics
Sometimes the thermal baths host various events, including concerts. In 1990, the famous concert of three of the world’s greatest tenors took place here.
The cost of entrance ticket to the Baths of Caracalla is 13 euros (in 2024). The thermal baths are open daily. They open at 9 a.m. and close at different times depending on the length of daylight hours: 4:30 p.m. in winter and 7:00 p.m. in summer. You can find out the current prices and buy a ticket to the Baths of Caracalla online using this link.
This is what the premises of the baths of Emperor Caracalla look like inside
