The 'Great Bath' with the Bath Abbey in the background

Gorgon's Head: Romano Celtic Head from the Pediment of the Temple of Sulis Minerva

The Roman Baths

After 347 days of living in Bath, Maurene and I finally decided to go to the Roman Baths and have a look around. The baths are located in the heart of the city and are Bath's primary tourist draw. Three quarter of a million people visited last year. The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD and the baths were created shortly after their arrival. They drained the muddy swamp that surrounded the hot springs and created a complex of baths, a temple, and the surrounding precincts during the 60s and 70s. Long forgotten during the Dark Ages, the baths have been excavated and restored over the last couple of centuries. Roman artifacts are still found throughout Bath in a wide variety of locations.

Needless to say, we enjoyed our first visit. As residents of Bath we get in for free! And we also can 'take the waters' at the Bath Pump Room, gratis, as well. That is another story for another time! The website for the Roman Baths is http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/.