Rome Italy - Hidden Tourist attraction (#5)BATHS OF CARACALLA

Ordered by Emperor Septimius Severus but opened by his son Caracalla in 216 A.D., the baths have a rectangular layout, typical of the “great Imperial baths”, consisting of a central body, which was accessed by four main doors on the north-eastern side, and functional spaces (swimming pools, gymnasiums, changing rooms) arranged symmetrically along a single axis. Between 1824 and the 1990s systematic excavation work uncovered the true beauty of the complex, which today catches the eye for its mighty walls that in some sections are over 30 metres high. Between 1938 and 1993 the area of the calidarium (hot water swimming pool) was used for the summer opera seasons of the Teatro dell’Opera. The Baths reopened their doors to classical music in 2001 with the construction of a temporary and removable stage located away from its original structures in complete respect for the monument.