Ethan and I had a busy first full day in Bath. After a nice breakfast in our hotel, we headed into the center of Bath. We decided to visit the Roman baths and museum first.
Even though we were at the bath complex relatively soon after opening, the place was PACKED. There were so many families and tour groups that it was nearly impossible to move around.
The visit starts at viewing platforms over the main pool. The platforms go all the way around the pool and are decorated with 19th century statues of Roman emperors, governors of Britain, and generals. These include Julius Caesar, who led the first Roman incursion into Britain, Claudius, who ordered the large scale invasion of Britain, and Julius Agricola, a Roman governor of Britain known for subjugating and Romanizing the province.
The bath complex was built in a Roman town called Aquae Sulis, the Waters of Sulis. The site had been known for its natural hot springs and before Roman times, had been considered the home of a Celtic goddess, Sulis. The Romans adapted this belief, creating the syncretism of the Sulis Minerva. A large complex and holy site developed around these springs. The complex contained a naturally fed pool, tradition bathing rooms, and a temple dedicated to Sulis Minerva. Above is an employee of the museum, dressed as a Roman priest.
From the main hot springs pool, we entered the museum. I was surprised by how much the museum, and the site in general, was dedicated to the holy area of the complex. I think that the name Bath distracts from what I've ever heard about the site. It's so much more than the typical Roman bathhouses I've visited.
The temple was just next to the baths. Though it was dedicated to Sulis Minerva, there were many altars and depictions of other deities within the temple courtyard and the surrounding area. Facing the interior courtyard were two large depictions of Sol and Luna, the Sun and the Moon. Below is the depiction of Luna, with the crescent moon behind her. It also seems she is holding a whip, probably to urge on the horses of her biga, a two-wheeled chariot. Sadly, the depiction of Sol is lost.
There were altars to many and varied gods found in temple area, including those dedicated to Aesculapius, Diana, Mercury, Jupiter, and Celtic deities, like Rosmerta. The carving below supposedly depicts Celtic mother goddesses in a triplicate form. There was even a dedication from the tomb of a German veteran, showing that some Germanic deities were worshiped in Bath. All of these different religions came together in this sacred area.
One of the things I was dying to see in Bath were the curse tablets found in the spring. This practice represents another blending of Roman and British religious customs. Traditionally, Roman curse tablets were placed in places linked to chthonic deities and crossroads, such as cracks in walls or underground, but in Bath they were pretty much exclusively thrown into the spring. The Romans adapted to native beliefs of connections to deities, using water as the access point.
Though many curse tablets were just addressed to "the goddess" (presumably Sulis Minerva), others were dedicated to gods like Mercury and Mars. This curse tablet is a complaint about a theft, which seems to be what most of the Bath curse tablets were about, and lists the names of possible suspects to help the gods curse the right person.
Below is a depiction of Sulis Minerva in gilt bronze. Not much is known about the goddess Sulis before the introduction of the Romans, other than that she was worshipped in the area of the holy springs. She may have had similar characteristics to Minerva, such as wisdom and decisions, but this is not necessarily correct. Sadly, we'll probably never know much about the original worship of Sulis.
Through much of the museum, it was possible to see how the natural hot springs fed the main pool of the complex and how the Romans harnessed these waters. Much of the original Roman construction remains in use, but has been adapted by later users of the baths. Ethan very intelligently pointed out that the areas around the spring were covered in rust, as the water is high in iron content (We can both attest to this, as they had a tasting station of the spring water. It tasted eerily like blood.). The water was warm enough to be steaming and casting some heat; the water coming out of the springs can reach up to 115ยบ F.
On either side of the main pool were more traditional Roman bathing rooms. The baths were on a fairly large scale, much larger than the town of Aquae Sulis would have required. This is because the holiness of the site would have drawn many to come visit the baths, much like tourists flock to it today. Below are some of the hypocausts found beneath the floors of the heated rooms in the baths.
After we finished the baths (and escaped much of the crowds), we headed into Bath Abbey. I believe that yesterday I called the church Bath Cathedral. This is not accurate, although the Abbey was once a cathedral. Bath Abbey was founded in around 675 as a convent, but was later changed to an abbey. Bath Abbey was purchased in the late 11th century and turned into the seat of diocese. It only held this title for seventy-eight years, before the diocese seat was moved again. The church eventually fell into disrepair.
Moves to restore the church were made as early as the 1570s, when Queen Elizabeth I personally advocated for the restoration of a grand church for Bath. The majority of restoration to the church happened in the mid-19th century, restoring the exterior and the interior of the abbey.
The famous fan ceiling of the abbey was completed in the 1860s, but had been the brainchild of a 15th century bishop.
The organ of the abbey was replaced in 1997 with this beautiful Klais Orgelbau pipe organ.
Ethan and I wandered around more in the afternoon, including walking along the River Avon. The picture above shows Pulteney Bridge, a Georgian addition to the city. The bridge is lined with stores and restaurants.
We made our way up through The Circus and went to the Royal Crescent. The Crescent is another Georgian architectural wonder of Bath. The building was originally designed as thirty terraced homes, but now only ten remain single family homes. Twelve have been split into apartments, one is a museum for the Crescent, and one is a hotel.
With many of the maps of Bath we've collected, Ethan and I have found many options for discounts for food and beverages. Sadly, none seemed to be available on a Saturday night. But we did have a lovely restaurant at a French restaurant. We seem to be taking a tour of Mediterranean cuisine!
Fun Fact #22: In the bath complex, there is a depiction of a legendary King of the Britons, Bladud. He has no basis in history, but seems to have been a creation by Geoffrey of Monmouth. On top of founding Bath (in the 9th century CE), he is credited with being educated in Athens and founding a university in England that was later suppressed by Augustine of Canterbury. Seems like a busy (fictional) guy!
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