Temple courtyard. 로마 목욕탕(Roman Baths). 바스(Bath)

Temple courtyard. 로마 목욕탕(Roman Baths).

바스(Bath). 영국(England)

romanbaths.co.uk

 

 

 

Monumental Buildings

High to your left is a decorated cornice from a large public building north of the Temple of Sulis Minerva, probably a theatre. Large buildings in Aquae Sulis included other bath-houses, but the special character of the town means that some buildings seen in other settlements such as a basilica or a forum were never built here.

 

The high stones in front of you come from a round temple known as a tholos that stood to the east of the Temple Courtyard. This kind of temple is best known from Greece and this is the only tholos  known from Roman Britain. It is further evidence of the special character of the Temple and bathing complex at Aquae Sulis. The site of the tholos was later occupied by Bath Abbey.

 

 

 

Temple Courtyard

"Minerva is patron goddess... In her temple the eternal flames never whiten ito ash..."

 

Solinus

Collectanea Rerum Memorabilium, 22, 10

3rd century AD

 

The refurbished Temple Precinct was opened by

TRH the Earl and Countess of Wessex

on 12th May 2014

 

This project has been undertaken by

Bath and North east Somerset Council

with generous support from the Wolfson Foundation

 

Architect: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Principal contractor: Beard

Museum designer: Event Communications

 

 

 

Buttress of Spring Building

The outer wall of the Temple Courtyard is to the left.

 

The massive stone blocks in front of you formed a buttress supporting a corner of the building over the Sacred Spring. You will see more of this building as you walk through the Temple Courtyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Altar

The sacrificial altar was the focus for public worship where priests conducted ceremonies and animal sacrifices.

 

Two cornerstones are in their original positions and a third lies close to the altar, where it was found in 1965. It is likely that the altar was painted. We cannot tell if the panels between the cornersones were plain or decorated with carvings.

     Bacchus        Nymph              Jupiter         Hercules        Unknown God   Apollo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head of Sulis Minerva

 

The Temple of Sulis Minerva

The Temple stood here with its magnificent pediment looking down on the open courtyard and great altar.

Three steps that led up to the Temple still can be seen.

 

The pagan Temple may have been destroyed by Christians sometimes during the 5th century or later.

 

 

 

Sacred Spring

"We... erect altars at places where great streams burst suddenly from hidden sources; we honour springs of hot water as divine."

 

Seneca Epistulae Morales 41.3

1st century AD

 

The Sacred Spring Building

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