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Bath Holiday and Tourism Information
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Bath is built over Britain’s only hot springs which were
almost certainly the reason for its development by the
Romans in the 1st Century AD. The Romans built Britain’s
first spa town with baths, a temple and gymnasium. The
city, known as Aquae Sulis, had no military interest -
it was built as a centre for pleasure. The Roman Baths
are fed by a spring delivering 280,000 gallons of water
a day at a temperature of 46.5º C.
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The Saxons built a new town within the Roman City walls
and founded an abbey near the site of the Roman Temple.
Bath Abbey was begun in 1499, built on the foundations
of a 12th Century Benedictine cathedral priory. The
Abbey was stripped of its roof and glass at the
Reformation, and was restored, together with the
Hospital of St. John, at the request of Elizabeth I.
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The healing powers of the hot spring water attracted
successive royal visitors during the late 16th and 17th
centuries, and by the beginning of the 18th century it
had become a fashionable place to visit. Beau Nash came
to Bath in 1704, a natural organiser. He opened the
first Pump Room for people to take the waters and meet
in civilised society. As Master of Ceremonies, he laid
down a programme of daily activities, beginning with
early morning bathing and continuing with organised
concerts, balls and card games. The Pump Room (1789-99)
has a statue of Nash presiding over the tearooms which
feature pilasters, gilded capitals, a coved ceiling and
rounded bay containing a former drinking fountain with a
view over the Kings Bath. The Assembly Rooms (1769-71)
were the venue for evening entertainments and comprise
the Ball Room, Octagon and Tea Room. The Assembly Rooms
house the Museum of Costume.
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Bath’s famous urban plan and elegant 18th century
architecture was largely the work of Ralph Allen, a
Cornishman, and John Wood, a Yorkshireman. Using the
honey-coloured stone from Combe Down, they set about the
rebuilding of the city , principally in the Palladian
style. The Circus was built in 1754 as the Kings Circus,
comprises a tight circle of identical three storey
houses built in Bath stone with decorated coupled
columns and acorn-topped balustrade. The circle is
intersected by three access roads. No.4 houses the
Fashion Research Centre, part of the Museum of Costume,
containing the Study Collection and a library. Royal
Crescent (1767-74) is an arc of 30 terrace houses with
strong horizontal lines balanced with giant ionic
columns rising from the first floor to the parapet.
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Bath has a wealth of museums and galleries including
Bath Museum which gives a fascinating insight into the
bathing complex and the great Roman temple of Sulis
Minerva, goddess of wisdom and healing. Other gems
include the Museum of Costume, Holburne Museum, American
Museum, No 1. Royal Crescent, the Jane Austen Centre and
the Museum of East Asian Art. The oldest house in Bath
is home to the famous Sally Lunn bun, which is still
made to the original secret recipe.
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To make the most of Bath, there are guided walking
tours, open top bus tours, balloon flights, river and
canal trips.
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The modern city of Bath has excellent shopping
facilities, imaginative street entertainment, award
winning parks and top class theatre and festivals bring
colour, style and life to this beautiful city.
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