The Baths of Caracalla

The Baths of Caracalla, built between 212 and 219 A.D. by the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, were the second largest baths in ancient Rome. The emperor was nicknamed Caracalla after a Gallic tunic he used to wear, but this name wasn't officially used. It has been calculated that these baths used 15-20,000 cubic meters of water per day. Approximately 13 hectares were covered by the baths, which were 228 meters long, 116 meters wide and 38.5 meters in height, with a capacity of over 1600 bathers.

The baths contained a library with two sections, one for Greek language texts and one for Latin language texts, located in the the east and west sides. The north side was dedicated to shops, while water from the Marcian Aqueduct (springs in the hills near Subiaco, over 90 km away) was supplied to the south wall. After the restorations made during Aureliano, the devastations of the Goths of Vitige destroyed their function and, implicitly, their perfect hydraulic system. Marbles, precious metals, pavements with mosaics and several sculptures were used to decorate the rooms.

The ruins hosted Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in opera season that takes place in the summer. Modern cultural events also take place here, such as the gymnastics competition during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the concert of the Three Tenors in 1990, when the FIFA World Cup ended. Earthquakes, neglection and looting turned this architectural masterpiece into ruins, lushness being judged these pieces.