Baths of Diocletian in Rome opening hours. National Museum of Rome

And the Baths of Trajan.
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This is what the baths looked like on the model.
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The layout corresponds quite accurately to the plan of the thermal baths depicted in the ancient engraving.
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The thermal baths could accommodate up to 3,200 people; the gardens were decorated with fountains and pavilions. The water supply to the baths was carried out through the Aqueduct of Marcius.
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The decoration of the baths was also luxurious: marble cladding, unique mosaic floors, galleries with statues of gods and babbling fountains.
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The baths served not only as baths, they served as a place of relaxation, communication, and a center of cultural and social life of the city. Entrance to them was allowed to all free citizens. On the territory of the complex there were gardens with pavilions, fountains, marble sculptures, there were also meeting rooms, an amphitheater, a library and a gymnasium.
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Baths of Diocletian in modern form- this is the Republic Square, on the site of the central hall the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri was erected, some rooms are occupied by the National Roman Museum with a collection of Roman and Greek art. One of the round halls of the baths was rebuilt into the Church of San Bernardo alle Terme.
Part of the ruins was rebuilt as a museum in 1889.
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Thermal, or Diocletian, window is a window that is divided by two vertical posts (middles) into three compartments - the central one is wider and the side ones are narrower. Such windows are typical of the Roman baths of Diocletian. During the Renaissance, the great Italian architect Andrea Palladio revived thermal windows, reworking the ancient form into the so-called Venetian window. Since then, Diocletian's windows have become firmly established in the arsenal of techniques of Palladianism and its successors.
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Republic Square
Until the 1950s, the square was called Exedra. This name is still used among local residents. The old name comes from the large exedra of the Baths of Diocletian - a semicircular deep niche with a semi-dome. The shape of the ancient exedra is repeated in the colonnade that borders the square from the southwest. Semicircular palazzos with porticoes were erected in 1887-1898. designed by the architect Gaetano Coch. The facade of the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri overlooks the square. In the center of the square is the Naiad Fountain, created by sculptor Mario Rutelli in 1901.
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Naiad Fountain [41.9030117N 12.4984825E]
In the last decade of his pontificate, Pope Pius IX ordered and financed reconstruction ancient aqueduct Marcius, which was badly damaged by the Goths in the sixth century, and has remained unused since then. The construction of the new aqueduct was entrusted in 1868 to the company "Acqua Pia Antica Marcia SpA", which was for a long time one of the main suppliers of water supply to the city. The aqueduct was planned to end with a large fountain. The first version of the fountain was built in 1870 in a slightly different place from where it is now. It was a simple large round pool, from which a large number of jets of water were knocked out, directed towards the center. The composition ended with five vertical jets of water, the central one being much higher. A few years later, in 1888, the architect Alessandro Guerriri completely changed appearance fountain. It began to consist of three concentric circular cups at different heights, placed on an octagonal base. There was an attempt to install four lions, but it was unsuccessful and the project was abandoned. The next project, the work of sculptor Mario Rutelli, was built and opened in 1901. The Naiad Fountain was decorated with four nude female figures in bronze representing naiads: a Nymph of the lakes holding a swan, a Nymph of the rivers lying on a monster of the rivers, a Nymph of the underground waters lying on the back of a dragon, and a Nymph of the oceans riding a seahorse.
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In 1912, the fountain finally received its final appearance with the installation in the center of the Glauco group - a naked male figure capturing a dolphin and symbolizing man's dominion over natural force. The central stream of the fountain emerges from the dolphin's mouth. The work was fully opened in 1914.
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National Museum Rome [41.9030157N 12.4984127E]
The National Roman Museum was opened in 1889. The National Roman Museum includes the Museum of the Baths, which houses a collection of famous ancient sculptures: “The Throne of Ludovisi”, “Disco Thrower”, “Fist Fighter”, “Gaul Killing His Wife” and many others, previously located in the Baths of Diocletian and Caracalla.
14. Entrance to the museum

The museum currently has one of the richest collections of ancient sculpture. The halls of the ancient baths of Diocletian display collections of inscriptions and sculptures.
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19. Collection of antique masks

Museum garden
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On the territory of the thermal baths in front of the museum entrance you can also see several very original sculptures.
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The halls of the museum display many ancient sculptures, tombstones, masks and other ancient exhibits.
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Great cloister
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In the center of the large cloister, among the green spaces, various animals are looking for something.
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Small cloister
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The National Roman Museum today is a complex of five objects dedicated to Roman history: the Baths of Diocletian, Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Balbi Crypt and the Palatino Museum. This museum is considered one of the best in terms of exhibition design, organization of work, and convenience for visitors. With one entrance ticket you can visit 4 sites: Baths of Diocletian, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Palazzo Altemps, Balbi Crypt. The ticket is valid for 3 days.
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In 1563, by order of the pope, Michelangelo reconstructed the ruins of the central hall of the baths. The ruins were converted into the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. The church is very interesting, with in-depth study astronomy. A separate post will be dedicated to it, which I will publish in the near future.
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San Bernardo alle Terme [41.9036226N 12.4944699E]
San Bernardo alle Terme is a monastery church of the Cistercian order, dedicated to St. Bernard. The church building may have originally served as a spheristerium (ball game hall) that was part of the Baths of Diocletian. In 1593, this plot of land was bought by the niece of Pope Julius III and donated for the construction of the monastery. Its construction continued until 1598, the reconstruction of the church was completed in 1600.
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The structure of the church's dome is similar to the Pantheon, but is significantly smaller in diameter (only 22 m).
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Since 1670, the church has been titular; in the same year, the first restoration work was carried out: the interior decoration was updated, an organ was built in, the choir was improved, a fresco depicting St. Bernard. The last restoration was carried out in 2000. In the niches of the church there are 8 statues of saints by Camillo Mariani.
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51. Main altar

Altar of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Altar of St. Bernard of Clairvaux is lavishly decorated with sculptures with ancient green columns. The altarpiece "Vision of Saints Flying in Ecstasy to Meet Jesus Being Descent from the Cross" by Italian artist Giovanni Odazzi replaced another canvas by Thomas Laureti.
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Altar of St. Abbot Roberio
Altar of St. Abbot Roberio, a graduate of the Holy Order of Cistercians, is decorated similarly to the altar of St. Bernard. The painting by Giovanni Odazzi depicts the Virgin and Child, St. John, St. Joseph and St. Roberto. Madonna puts a ring on her finger, a symbol of protection and devotion.
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Burial of Johann Friedrich Oberbeck, Nazarene leader, artist, graphic artist and illustrator.
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In addition, very close to the Baths of Diocletian you can see a couple of attractions.
Obelisk of Dogali [41.9021613N 12.4974632E]
This is one of two obelisks brought from Heliopolis. The second is now installed in the Boboli Gardens in Florence. Initially, the monument was brought to the Temple of Isis in Rome. Found in 1883 by Rodolfo Lanziani near Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Currently, the monument is dedicated in honor of the battle near Dogali. The location of the modern obelisk changed from the square in front of Termini Station to its current location in 1924.
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Statue of John Paul II a work by Oliviero Rainaldi entitled Conversazioni (conversations) installed on March 18, 2011. Behind the "back" of the monument is the central bus station Rome (Termini station).
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Finally, for a better understanding, I suggest watching a video with a three-dimensional model of the ancient baths of Diocletian.

Unfortunately, only ruins remain of many ancient sights of the capital of Italy, but even what has survived and been restored amazes tourists with its scale. The Baths of Diocletian are the name of the ancient Roman public baths. This is a whole complex of structures that have never been equal in size and technical equipment in the empire.

The history of the creation of the Baths of Diocletian in Rome

By order of Emperor Diocletian, the construction of baths in " eternal city"began in 298. Seven years later, the complex was completely finished and consecrated in honor of Caesar. The structures were located on a huge territory of 13 hectares and could simultaneously accommodate about three thousand visitors. The Roman Baths of Diocletian included three thousand baths and three large pools, the water of which was supplied from underground aqueducts.

The interior decoration of the complex was no less luxurious:

unique mosaic floors;
marble cladding;
babbling fountains;
statues of gods.

Termi Diocleziano was a favorite holiday destination for the Romans. They performed not only the functions of baths, but were also a cozy place for communication, a center of social and cultural life Rome. Entry was allowed to all free citizens. On the territory of Diocletian's baths, fountains, marble sculptures were built, and gardens with pavilions were laid out. There were also meeting rooms, a library, an amphitheater and a gymnasium.

The legend says that the Baths of Diocletian in Rome were built by Christians condemned to death and the construction of the complex took 10 years. During the Roman Empire, baths were open to men, women and children. The Romans came to the complex to relax, relax, chat with each other or take a walk. More active townspeople visited the Baths of Diocletian to play sports games and engage in wrestling.

The baths had several rooms for different types of procedures:

taking cold baths in a cool room (frigidarium);
hot, like modern saunas;
warm, to preheat the body.

In the mid-16th century, the Goths destroyed the Roman aqueduct, and the Baths of Diocletian fell into disrepair. Over time, the complex began to deteriorate, until in 1563, by order of Pontiff Pius IV, the famous Michelangelo transformed the building. The cozy monastery courtyard, designed by the architect, now houses more than 400 exhibits from the times of imperial Rome and many ancient sculptures.

Baths of Diocletian at present

At the end of the 19th century, part of the complex was reconstructed. Currently, this part of the Baths of Diocletian houses the National Museum of Rome. Its archaeological heritage is considered one of the richest in the entire world and consists of finds found in the baths, as well as various collections of Roman and Greek art. On the territory of the baths, Michelangelo harmoniously placed the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built in the Renaissance style.

The Palazzo Altemps, in addition to the Baths of Diocletian, is one of the main objects of the National Museum of Rome. There are 104 sculptures from the ancient era, collections belonging to Cardinals Ludovisi, Altemps and the Princes of Mattei. The palace was built according to a design by Melozzo da Forli in the 15th century on the Campus Martius near Piazza Navona.

Another remarkable palace was erected by the architect Camilo Pistrucci in 1883-1887. On the ground floor there is a numismatic collection, on the other three there are antique paintings, sculptures and mosaics. Particularly memorable are the frescoes with painted birds, trees and flowers from the winter triclinium, which previously decorated the villa of Augustus’s wife, Livia. The pride of the national museum is considered to be works from the Villa Farnesina and sarcophagi. “Gal Ludovisi” is also a must-see at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome. This is a marble copy of a large triumphal monument, showing the scene of Gall killing his wife. The sculpture is filled with expression and is made with complete detail of what is happening.

How to get to the Baths of Diocletian

The complex is located on Via Enrico de Nicola (Enrico De Nicola). The most convenient way to get to the Baths of Diocletian is to use the metro. You should get off at one of the stations - Termini or Republic (Repubblica), and then walk a few hundred meters. Another option to get to the ancient Roman baths is to take a bus (there are several routes) to the Cernaia stop.

Tourists can visit the Baths of Diocletian in Rome on any day except Monday. Opening hours from 9.00 to 19.45. Please note that the ticket office closes half an hour before the complex closes. Not far from the ancient Roman baths is the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, which will also be attractive to tourists.

The Romans were specialists not only in military affairs and art. Built in the 3rd century AD, the Baths of Diocletian (Terme di Diocleziano) were truly the crowning achievement of engineering at that time. The technical equipment of the baths was far ahead of its time. In terms of convenience and quality of execution, the thermal baths can compete with modern SPA complexes of our time. The baths owe their name to the Roman emperor Gaius Aurelius Diocletian, the same one who, at the end of his reign, abdicated power and retired to his small homeland to grow cabbage.

The territory allocated for construction was 30 hectares. At the same time in the baths they could take water treatments over three thousand people for whom individual baths were installed and public steam rooms were equipped. Three large swimming pools have also been built for visitors. Water was supplied to the baths and pools directly through a complex water supply system connected to the branch of the Marcius Aqueduct.

The townspeople (and entry was allowed to all free citizens) not only washed themselves, but also spent time culturally in gardens with sculptures, attended performances in the amphitheater, read books in the library and did physical exercises in the gym.

Unfortunately, by the 7th century, the Baths of Diocletian fell into disrepair and were gradually destroyed. In the mid-16th century, the great sculptor and architect Michelangelo built a new Renaissance-style bathhouse and monastery on the remains of the bathhouse.

The healing properties of Therm

Swimming in warm water, rich in mineral salts, has been considered a healing activity since ancient times. Hydrotherapy in thermal springs, according to Hippocrates, had a positive effect on a person’s general physical condition. Roman baths gained particular value due to the supply of water of varying temperatures to the baths. In an amazing way, the water was heated by the sun's rays, while the water in the shaded areas remained cool. Roman doctors noted the special chemical and physical properties of water from springs, which had a beneficial effect on the health of the Romans.

Grandiose Baths today

Today the Baths of Diocletian are an interesting architectural monument, divided into three parts surrounded by the gardens of Republic Square.

Part of the territory was given over to the main exhibition of the National Roman Museum, or the Museum of Baths. The museum's exposition includes the walls of the baths themselves, ancient sculptures (including the creations of Michelangelo himself) and other objects from life ancient Rome. Another part of the Baths of Diocletian was rebuilt into the Basilica of San Bernardo alle Terme. The remaining buildings were left in ruins. modern tourists, visiting Rome, to study and admire.

Directions and visiting conditions

The baths are located on Enrico De Nicola street (Via Enrico de Nicola) at number 79. The best way to get to the baths and the museum - use the Roman metro. You need to get off at Repubblica or Termini stations, then follow the signs and walk a few hundred meters. Another way to get there: buses No. 82, 61, 62, 60, 492 to the Cernaia stop.

Entrance for foreigners is paid, tickets are sold at the box office. The cost of visiting the thermal baths is 8.5-12 euros, depending on the number of attractions to see. For a maximum cost of 12 euros, tourists get the opportunity to explore the Baths in full over several days. Visits for tourists are allowed on all days except Monday, from 9:00 to 19:45, ticket offices close half an hour before the end of work.

Not far from the baths there is a church built in the Baroque style.