Las Termas Romanas

Useful Information

Location:	Plaza Amador de los Ríos, 3, 45001 Toledo. (39.858484, -4.025242)
Open:	All year Tue-Sat 10-14, 17-21, Sun 10-14. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Underground Museums
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Las Termas Romanas, Plaza Amador de los Ríos, 3, 45001 Toledo, Tel: +34-925-25-30-80. Consorcio de la Ciudad de Toledo, Plaza de Santo Domingo el Antiguo, 4, 45002 Toledo, Tel: +34-925-284-289. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1986	ruins of the Roman Bath rediscovered.
2003	beginning of excavations and reconstruction.
2017	opened to the public.

Description

Las Termas Romanas de Toledo (Roman Baths of Toledo) are a witness of the prosperity of Toledo during the Roman Empire. It had all the typical infrastructure of a Roman city, including circus, aqueduct, theater, and roads. Roman baths were a type of social and recreational club, and even had a medical function. The patricians and high caste people made political or commercial agreements while bathing.

The archaeological remains of the Roman baths are located underground The baths were built at the end of the 1st century or at the beginning of the 2nd century AD. It was built mostly of opus caementicium (Roman concrete), there was a caldarium, 10 m by 12 m, with a hypocaust heating system in the basement. Decorated in great detail and with no expense spared the walls were covered by marble tiles. Other parts which can be seen are the water channels and sewage system. They were in use until the 6th century. Then they were used for various purposes, for example as a silo between the 12th and 14th century. The building was finally dismantled in the 16th century, when the people of Toledo used the stone to build their own homes in the surrounding area. In the 16th century two cisterns were built at this place.

The remains were discovered in 1986, when the current building was erected. As a result steel supports were constructed as a basement for the building and the ruins of the bath are now located in a huge basement of this building. From 2003 several years of excavation and restoration ended with a partial reconstruction of the Roman Baths. A series of catwalks, electric light and air conditioning was installed. But while it sounds like a museum it is actually more like a conference center with projector, telephone, fax, wi-fi, computer, photocopier and printer. It is used for events of cultural nature, like exhibitions, conferences, and official functions. It seems the politicians try to proudly present the great past of the city.