The Roman Baths of Varna

The Roman Baths of Varna are not just the biggest bathrooms of the period in the Balkans, but the fourth largest area of that type in the world. They are actually the largest public antique building built in the region. The baths date from the first century and only about two centuries later cease to perform their function of public bathrooms and a place to discuss public issues.
The walls of baths reached up to 22 meters, and their area – whole 7000 m2. The Roman tower is the highest part of the wall of the bathrooms. As in other Roman baths, there were rooms with different temperature so the body can gradually get used to the heat inside when coming from the cold outside of the building.
In the Roman Empire was not accepted men and women to use the same bathroom. Normally baths were divided, as there were separate entrances. The bathroom in Varna, however, use another type of division. The baths are attended until noon from women, as men during that time were anyway busy and went to work. From afternoon till late in the evenings the men were able to discuss public matters while caring for the comfort of their bodies. There was a separate room in the baths, where the men can put their values into storage so that they gentlemen can arrive immediately after work with all their possessions.
The building was built in a specific technology – stone wall alternating with five or six lines thick clay bricks. And was lavishly decorated with mosaics and marble capitals. To explore the Roman Baths today you have to pay an entrance fee from 5 leva or approximately 2,5 euro. The Baths are open every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Except on  Mondays and  Sundays when the Baths are open from  9 a.m. to 6 p. m. There is also a possibility to order a guided tour that will make the ruins really come alive before your eyes. Nearby are also the small  Roman baths, which served the ancient Odessos /the old name of today’s Varna / during the 3-4 century AD.