Bath (Somerset)

Bath is best known for its Roman Baths, which were enlisted in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1987. In the 18th century Bath was a gathering place for the British aristocracy. They brought the country's best architects to construct the Palladian terraced housing, circles, crescents and squares that can be found all over the city. There are numerous Roman archaeological sites throughout Bath's central area.

many of the streets in the vicinity of the river were built in Georgian times. They tended to be built high above the original ground level to avoid flooding. The carriageways were supported on vaults that extended in front of the houses. These vaults were then used as multi-storey cellars. In some streets, such as George Street and London Road, the owners of the buildings on the opposite side of the street didn't build these vaults and as a result, in these streets one side is raised, while the other side sits at ground level, leaving the ends of the vaults exposed.

Points of interest

Bath Abbey is beautifully located. It was originally a Norman church that itself was constructed on foundations of even earlier buildings. The abbey was founded in the 7th century and became an important religious center. The abbey was first rebuilt in the 12th century and the current building dates from the 16th century. The vault was added to the nave in the 19th century.
Around 60 AD, the Romans built baths and a temple around hot springs in the valley of the River Avon. The site became known as Aquae Sulis. The site became famous for the Roman Baths and the town that grew around it would later be known as Bath. By the 17th century (the Georgian era), the waters were thought to possess healing properties and Bath became a very popular spa town.
Nowadays the baths themselves sits some 6 m (20 ft) below street level. You can still see Roman foundations, pillar bases and baths around the hot springs. All the constructions above the level of the baths is of more recent origin.
During that time, numerous buildings were constructed in the Georgian architecture. They include the Circus, the Royal Crescent, the Pump Room and the Assembly Rooms.
The Circus consists of three long, curved terraces that form a circular arena, which functioned as a theatre. The Circus was inspired by the Colosseum in Rome and features 3 different levels, built in different styles: Doric on the ground level, Ionic on the piano nobile and Corinthian on the upper floor.
The Royal Crescent is the most spectacular of Bath's terraces. It was constructed from 1767 to 1774 and features a beautiful curved façade with a row of Ionic columns. The façade is divided into 30 parts. Each person who wanted to build a house there, bougth one part and then constructed the desired house behind the façade. The result is a uniform and symmetrical façade with a mish mash of buildings behind it. These buildings have different heights and were built using different materials, each one built to the specifications of its owner.
This type of construction can be seen at different locations in Bath, including the Lansdown Crescent and Somerset Place on the northern hill. Locals refer to it as 'Queen Anne fronts and Mary-Anne backs'.
The Pump Room was at the center of Georgian Bath. It is adjacent to the Roman Baths and it got its name from water that is pumped into the room from the hot springs. Visitors can drink the water, or some other refreshments while there. The building dates from 1799.
The Parade Gardens were originally known as St. James's Park. They were laid out in 1709 to accompany the Assembly Rooms for the Spa visitors. The gardens are located to the east of Bath Abbey. There is a small entrance fee.
Royal Victoria Park was opened in 1830. It features a skateboard ramp, tennis, bowling and putting greens, a golf course, a large children's play area and a botanical garden. Carnivals and seasonal events are frequently organized there.
The Pultney Bridge is lined with shops. It was built in 1770, but it has been significantly altered since then. The bridge linked the Bathwick estate, owned by Frances and William Pulteney, to the rest of Bath and was named after them.
Canal Boat Tours.
Not far from town is Sham Castle.

Museums

The Fashion Museum has a collection of more than 100,000 dresses and other fashion items from the late 16th century to the present day.
The Herschel Museum of Astronomy was inaugurated in 1981. The museum is located at 19, New King Street, in the house, where William Herschel, who discovered Uranus, once lived.
The Holburne Museum is located in Sydney Pleasure Gardens. It is the oldest art gallery in Bath. The exhibitions are based on the art collection of Sir William Holburne, who was a lieutenant in the British Navy in the 18th century.
The Museum of Bath Architecture houses a number of models, maps, paintings and small scale reconstructions of typical Georgian houses.
The Museum of East Asian Art (MEAA) is in Bennett Street. It has an exhibition ofceramics, jades, bronzes and bamboo carvings from China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, amongst others.
The Victoria Art Gallery is home to a collection of paintings and art objects.

There are several theatres in Bath, the most famous one of which is the Theatre Royal.

Bath is quite compact and can easily be explored on foot. There are numerous alleyways and nice houses in the center of town, but during the summer it gets quite busy with tourists. You can rent a boat and row right through town on the River Avon.

There are numerous hotels and restaurants in town. Shopping areas include SouthGate shopping centre, the Corridor arcade and the small artisan shops at Walcot, Milsom, Stall and York Streets.

Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, 156 km (97 mi) west of London. The city has excellent road and rail connections with the rest of England.

Hotels in Bath

Images

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