 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007) |
The church of San Bernardo alle Terme recycled one of only two circular towers in the rectangular boundary of the baths, flanking its southwestern wall. Between these two towers one large exedra used to exist as part of the same wall, today only its outline may be appreciated in the layout of Piazza della Repubblica in the city of Rome.
The Baths of Diocletian (Thermae Diocletiani) in Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537. Similar in size and plan to those of Caracalla and oriented to the southwest so that solar energy heated the caldarium without affecting the frigidarium, they are well preserved because various parts later were converted to ecclesiastical or other use, including:
- Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (in the tepidarium), whose three soaring transept vaults provide one of the few glimpses of the original splendor of Roman building
- the church of San Bernardo alle Terme (in one of the two circular rooms)
- in the main hall, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano (National Roman Museum)
- the 'octagonal aula', also now part of the National Roman Museum.
Other remains of the baths are visible several streets away.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
