Imagine: 1600 people in this bath house alone! In imperial Rome public thermal baths were not only places for hygiene but also popular hangout places. The increasing number of people living in the capital of the enormous roman empire let some emperors to open huge complexes as such.

Emperor Caracalla had this baths built in A.D. 217 covering a square site of 11 hectares. Providing what the famous roman saying quoted as: mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body) the baths were an amazing gigantic leisure and cultural complex which could be used until sunsets for a very small fee. On walking through the well preserved ruins one still perceives the layout and the dimensions of the halls. Changing rooms, smaller room for massages , medical examinations and sports areas can easily be visualized with the help of your guide. The architecture and fittings of this place were enriched with famous fine sculptures amongst which we could mention the Farnese Bull and the statue of Hercules now both at the archeological museum of Naples. But where could so much water be stored? Huge water cistern containing 2,100,000 gallons were concealed behind the enclosing wall and water gushed out using the natural slope of the hill. Most recently these baths have staged the summer opera house concerts and performances and in the beautiful summer nights it's indeed a wonderful experience to sit amongst such wonders of the past.