Contenido

Las Termas de Caracalla, como las demás que existían en Roma y en otras ciudades imperiales, eran mucho más que un simple lugar de baño. Accesibles a todos los ciudadanos, las termas encarnaban el ideal de vida de los romanos, su búsqueda del equilibrio entre el cuidado del cuerpo y el ejercicio físico, [15]​.

Structure

The Baths of Caracalla became the most luxurious bath complex in all of Rome, and its size was surpassed only by the Baths of Diocletian. However, its archaeological remains are the largest preserved today.

The buildings were built over a period of approximately five years, which is an achievement of Roman engineering, considering the enormity of the complex. The baths had a large enclosure, more than 400 meters wide between the apses, and a central structure where the baths themselves were located. Around it there was a large garden. For the water supply, a branch of the Aqua Marciano aqueduct was diverted to the baths to supply it, which was named Aqua Antoniniana Iovia.

In the century BC. C., in the area where the thermal baths would later be built, there was a large pond known as Public Pool. When in the century AD. C. the baths were completed and inaugurated, replacing the old swimming pool.

North and South Part

In the northern part there was a portico, preceded by a series of premises on two levels, in which, probably, several shops were located. The porch and rooms served as structural support for the Caelian Hill. On the South side was the half stadium, with stands "Grada (architecture)") for spectators, which served to hide the large cisterns behind them. These cisterns could contain a total of 80,000 cubic meters of water. Located symmetrically, there were two more large rooms, which surely served as libraries.

East and West Side

On the east and west sides, two large lateral and symmetrical exedras were built. In the central space there was an apse preceded by a colonnade, with small rooms on each side, one of which was octagonal in shape and covered by a dome.

Central area of ​​the complex

The thermal bath rooms were designed symmetrically around the central axis of the baths, following the usual model of imperial Rome. On either side were two entrances leading to the changing rooms or apodyteria, with a central corridor leading to two barrel-vaulted rooms on each side. Like the rest of the complex, the floor was decorated with mosaics. From the locker rooms you could access the palestra (gym), to practice physical exercises, indoors or outdoors. Users did gymnastic exercises or practiced hand-to-hand and hand-to-hand fighting. The area was a large uncovered courtyard, surrounded on three sides by porticoes, with a vaulted ceiling and herringbone mosaic floors. On the other side was a wide semicircle. The floor mosaics, of which large fragments have survived, were once exceptionally beautiful and vividly coloured. At the end of the physical exercises, the Romans could go to the baths, used jointly by both sexes.

The caldarium had a huge circular room covered by a dome, of which several supporting pillars are preserved. The room was designed and located within the complex to receive sunlight throughout the day through large windows. Its walls were heated through hollow terracotta tubes. From the caldarium you went to the tepidarium, where originally there were two large bathtubs on both sides. The basilica was located in the center of the building, covered by three large cross vaults, supported by imposing pillars. The natatio was the last room that could be accessed. It was a large outdoor pool; Today it would be considered an Olympic swimming pool, which had one of its walls facing the exterior façade, decorated with niches with statues.

Decoration

Just as important as the design was the decoration. In addition to the rich and vivid floor mosaics, the baths were decorated with valuable works of art, such as the Farnese Hercules or the Farnese Bull, both now in the Archaeological Museum of Naples. The mosaics did not always have the same design, in some areas they represented scenes, and in others there were floors with geometric motifs.

The ovens

The Baths of Caracalla were a large complex of hot water baths. The supply problem was easily solved, but heating the water was a more complex problem. The solution consisted of an interior oven and an exterior one, in which the slaves would be found fanning the flames. Depending on the room for which it was intended, the waters were heated to one temperature or another. To improve the diffusion of heat, the hypocaust system was built, quite practical and effective.

At the turn of the century, the design of these baths was used as inspiration for the design of the Pennsylvania Train Station "Pennsylvania Station (New York)") in New York, designed by architect Charles Follen McKim. The Bangladesh National Assembly building in Dhaka is also inspired by the Caracalla baths.

Likewise, different types of cultural events have been held, such as gymnastics competitions at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games and the Three Tenors concert during the closing of the 1990 Soccer World Cup. The ruins serve as the backdrop for the Rome Opera House's opera season each summer.

• - Baths of Agrippa.

• - Baths of Diocletian.

• - Baths of Nero.

• - Tito Baths.

• - Trajan's Baths.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Baths of Caracalla.

• - Baths of Caracalla in Great Buildings.

• - Rome page on The History Channel.

• - Baths of Caracalla Architectural analysis of the Baths of Caracalla.

• - Caracalla Baths 360° virtual panorama and photos of the ruins.

Contenido

Las Termas de Caracalla, como las demás que existían en Roma y en otras ciudades imperiales, eran mucho más que un simple lugar de baño. Accesibles a todos los ciudadanos, las termas encarnaban el ideal de vida de los romanos, su búsqueda del equilibrio entre el cuidado del cuerpo y el ejercicio físico, [15]​.

Structure

The Baths of Caracalla became the most luxurious bath complex in all of Rome, and its size was surpassed only by the Baths of Diocletian. However, its archaeological remains are the largest preserved today.

The buildings were built over a period of approximately five years, which is an achievement of Roman engineering, considering the enormity of the complex. The baths had a large enclosure, more than 400 meters wide between the apses, and a central structure where the baths themselves were located. Around it there was a large garden. For the water supply, a branch of the Aqua Marciano aqueduct was diverted to the baths to supply it, which was named Aqua Antoniniana Iovia.

In the century BC. C., in the area where the thermal baths would later be built, there was a large pond known as Public Pool. When in the century AD. C. the baths were completed and inaugurated, replacing the old swimming pool.

North and South Part

In the northern part there was a portico, preceded by a series of premises on two levels, in which, probably, several shops were located. The porch and rooms served as structural support for the Caelian Hill. On the South side was the half stadium, with stands "Grada (architecture)") for spectators, which served to hide the large cisterns behind them. These cisterns could contain a total of 80,000 cubic meters of water. Located symmetrically, there were two more large rooms, which surely served as libraries.

East and West Side

On the east and west sides, two large lateral and symmetrical exedras were built. In the central space there was an apse preceded by a colonnade, with small rooms on each side, one of which was octagonal in shape and covered by a dome.

Central area of ​​the complex

The thermal bath rooms were designed symmetrically around the central axis of the baths, following the usual model of imperial Rome. On either side were two entrances leading to the changing rooms or apodyteria, with a central corridor leading to two barrel-vaulted rooms on each side. Like the rest of the complex, the floor was decorated with mosaics. From the locker rooms you could access the palestra (gym), to practice physical exercises, indoors or outdoors. Users did gymnastic exercises or practiced hand-to-hand and hand-to-hand fighting. The area was a large uncovered courtyard, surrounded on three sides by porticoes, with a vaulted ceiling and herringbone mosaic floors. On the other side was a wide semicircle. The floor mosaics, of which large fragments have survived, were once exceptionally beautiful and vividly coloured. At the end of the physical exercises, the Romans could go to the baths, used jointly by both sexes.

The caldarium had a huge circular room covered by a dome, of which several supporting pillars are preserved. The room was designed and located within the complex to receive sunlight throughout the day through large windows. Its walls were heated through hollow terracotta tubes. From the caldarium you went to the tepidarium, where originally there were two large bathtubs on both sides. The basilica was located in the center of the building, covered by three large cross vaults, supported by imposing pillars. The natatio was the last room that could be accessed. It was a large outdoor pool; Today it would be considered an Olympic swimming pool, which had one of its walls facing the exterior façade, decorated with niches with statues.

Decoration

Just as important as the design was the decoration. In addition to the rich and vivid floor mosaics, the baths were decorated with valuable works of art, such as the Farnese Hercules or the Farnese Bull, both now in the Archaeological Museum of Naples. The mosaics did not always have the same design, in some areas they represented scenes, and in others there were floors with geometric motifs.

The ovens

The Baths of Caracalla were a large complex of hot water baths. The supply problem was easily solved, but heating the water was a more complex problem. The solution consisted of an interior oven and an exterior one, in which the slaves would be found fanning the flames. Depending on the room for which it was intended, the waters were heated to one temperature or another. To improve the diffusion of heat, the hypocaust system was built, quite practical and effective.

At the turn of the century, the design of these baths was used as inspiration for the design of the Pennsylvania Train Station "Pennsylvania Station (New York)") in New York, designed by architect Charles Follen McKim. The Bangladesh National Assembly building in Dhaka is also inspired by the Caracalla baths.

Likewise, different types of cultural events have been held, such as gymnastics competitions at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games and the Three Tenors concert during the closing of the 1990 Soccer World Cup. The ruins serve as the backdrop for the Rome Opera House's opera season each summer.

• - Baths of Agrippa.

• - Baths of Diocletian.

• - Baths of Nero.

• - Tito Baths.

• - Trajan's Baths.

• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Baths of Caracalla.

• - Baths of Caracalla in Great Buildings.

• - Rome page on The History Channel.

• - Baths of Caracalla Architectural analysis of the Baths of Caracalla.

• - Caracalla Baths 360° virtual panorama and photos of the ruins.